Rise of the Dragons: The new Riders
by SirialBlack
Summary: 20 years after Galbatorix's fall, Eragon has created a place for dragon riders to train. Every year the eggs will travel to every living corner of Alagaesia to discover the new riders. The eggs have arrived in a village near the Spine for the Brasungr festival to begin but peculiar attacks continue to plague the lands of Alagaesia and nothing appears to be safe.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**A/C: I don't own anything in this fanfic apart from my own OCs. This world was created by Chrstopher Paolini and all credit goes to him. Please don't copy and thanks for reading! **

Eragon stood at the edge of the mountain, feeling the wind's whip on his face. He stared at the waves from the sea as they crushed loudly on the steep rock edges.

_I don't know If I will be able to do it_, he said as Saphira shot from the water's surface and flew towards him, making the nearby seagulls disappear.

Her scales glittered, a beautiful silver blue turquoise colour, as the rays of the sun fell on her skin. She shook whatever droplets of sea water remained and settled down at the top of the mountain, next to Eragon. One large blue eye looked at her rider seriously.

_Young one, we have faced harder challenges than this. This will be child's play to us_, she replied in his mind and reassured him, showing how much confidence and faith she had in him.

_More elves should have been here. They know magic better than I_, he replied in her mind, still thoughtful.

_Yes, they might know some more intricate spells, I do not doubt, but they were not chosen to be dragon riders_, she said as she fell on the ground, causing it to momentarily shake and extended her wings until the sun rays fell on every inch of her body.

The rocks next to Eragon shook from the impact, but he was not afraid. He was looking at Saphira, her size, beauty and grace and was astounded. Saphira read his thoughts and a great satisfaction enveloped her. If nothing else, Saphira loved to be adored. Eragon chuckled and playfully threw a rock at her direction. She dodged it with her eyes closed and her back on the ground.

_You are ready Eragon. We are ready and the eggs need to hatch._

**A/N: Upon rereading the next two chapters I realised that they are more of an introduction so you can start reading the story from the 3rd chapter (The Festival Begins) and If you like it you could return to read the other two.**

**Below I have composed a list of all the characters and riders mentioned in this fanfic so far. If you have not read the story do not look below. SPOILER ALERT.**

**Masters of Training:**

**Eragon**

Master of flying, Leader of the Dragon Riders

Origin: Human Apperance: Brown hair, brown eyes slightly pointed ears

Dragon Name: Saphira Colour: sapphire blue

**Mirin**

Master of Ancient Language and History

Origin: Dwarf, Appearance: short, old in age, wrinkled skin, grey hair and beard

Dragon Name: Unknown

**Octavian**

Master of Sparring and Strength

Origin: Human, Appearance: tall, middle aged, dark skin, muscled, golden earrings and ornaments

Dragon Name: Lenor

**Stoic**

Previous Master of Strength, currently sent in Alagaesia

Origin: Urgal, Kull, son of Theon, heir of the Kull tribes in the East Dessert. Appearance: very tall, middle age, grey skin, yellowish eyes, ram horns, very muscled.

Dragon Name: Unknown Colour: Dark Brown

**Idel**

Master of Magic

Origin: Elf, Appearance: medium height, middle aged, fair skin, light strawberry-blond hair

Dragon Name: Unknown

**Maud**

Master of Agility

Origin: Werecat, Appearance: short, old in age, wrinkled skin, white-grey hair, pale grey-blue eyes, muscled. Feline form: white-grey fur

Dragon Name: N/A

**In Alagaesia**

**Melor **

Rider sent in Alagaesia

Origin: Dwarf, Appearance: short, middle-age, red-ginger hair and beard

Dragon Name: Gijnard Colour: light brown with orange highlights

**Ingrid**

Rider sent in Alagaesia

Origin: Human, Appearance: tall, broad-shoulders, brown hair and brown eyes

Dragon Name: Unknown

**Findet**

Rider sent in Alagaesia

Origin: Elf, Appearance: thin, brown hair

Dragon Name: Unknown

**Murtagh**

Rider in Alagaesia

Origin: Human, Eragon's half-brother Appearance: tall, muscled, dark brown hair and eyes, fair skin.

Dragon Name: Thorn, Colour: Red

**Arya**

Origin: Elf, Queen of the elves Appearance: medium-height, tall, long black straight hair, forest-green eyes

Dragon Name: Firnen Colour: Forest Green

**Jijah**

Current Location and Status Unknown

Origin: Urgal, one of the first five new riders Appearance: tall, muscled, dark hair, almond -shaped yellow eyes and grey skin.

Dragon Name: Unknown, Colour: Unknown

**Young Riders:**

**Tristan**

Origin: Human, son of Orric, age sixteen Appearance: tall, relative muscled, blond hair fashioned into braids, blue eyes, tanned skin

Dragon Name: Vertigo, Colour: Grey-dark blue colour with silver membrane wings

**Kayla**

Origin: Human, daughter of Orric, age fifteen Appearance: medium height, thin with long, blond hair, blue-purple eyes, tanned skin

Dragon Name: Aiedail, Colour: Grey-Purple-Violet colour with silver membrane wings

**Rikon**

Origin: Dwarf, age fourteen Appearance: relative tall for his dwarf heritage, ginger hair and ginger fluff, brown eyed.

Dragon Name: Fiord, Colour: Orange colour

**Laer**

Origin: Unknown, age twenty Appearance: tall, relative muscled, straight, long, black hair and black eyes, goat horns above his ears

Dragon Name: Onyx, Colour: Black with a few golden highlights**. **

**Adrian**

Origin: Elf, age twenty two Appearance: tall, straight brown hair stopping just above his ears, forest-green eyes.

Dragon Name: Mars Colour: Mahogany

**Gwen**

Origin: Human, age twenty Appearance: relatively short, muscled, long curly dark brown hair, light hazelnut eyes, dark skin.

Dragon Name: Saturn, Colour: Copper

**Maurine**

Origin: Dwarf, age fifteen Appearance: short, hazelnut coloured hair, white skin and rosy cheeks.

Dragon Name: Colour:

**Grohn**

Origin: Urgal, age sixteen Appearance: tall, grey skin, yellow eyes, muscled and strong

Dragon Name: Colour:

**May and Maya**

Origin: twin elvish, age seventeen Appearance: medium-height, white skin, straight, short, black hair, almond-shaped eyes with black irises.

Dragon Name: Cyclops Colour: Two headed, grey-white

**Gas**

Origin: Human, age thirty five Appearance: medium height, tanned skin, dark brown hair

Dragon Name: Inal Colour: Unknown

**Non Riders**

Marian: human, Tristan and Kayla's mother, location: Arhan village

Orric: human, Tristan and Kayla's father, current status: diseased

Buster: human, Tristan's friend and fourteen years of age, location: Arhan village

Grion: human, son of the head protector of Arhan village, Tristan's friend, seventeen years of age, tall, strong.

Nasuada: human, Alagaesia's Queen

Jormundur: Nasuada's chief advisor

Lord Dathedr: Arya's chief advisor

Natalie: human, servant girl in Dras Leona castle, current location and status unknown


	2. Tristan and Kayla

**Tristan and Kayla**

**20 years later**

"Will you leave me alone?" she shouted angrily and slid her hand out of her brother's tight embrace.

"Come on, Kayla, don't be a baby. Fight me as if you were Galbatorix and I Eragon" her brother Tristan shouted and hit her with a wooden sword.

Kayla recoiled in time and slid from the bed's edge to pick up her wooden sword, her eyes turning into slits as she watched her older brother dancing around like an enchanted troll.

"Saphira, my beautiful dragon come rescue me so we can kill Galbatorix!"Tristan bellowed and jumped on top of Daisy, their 4 year old goat.

Daisy let out a beh sound and continued chewing on some grass. Kayla raised an eyebrow at that and nudged her brother slightly with her wooden sword.

Tristan lost his balance and fell from the goat, hitting his head on the wooden floor of the house.

"Ouch" her brother said and rubbed his head with his palm. "You didn't need to do this" he said, annoyed and moved away from her reach.

Kayla put her hands on her waist angrily.

"Look, I have told you before I am not interested. I don't like fighting and I don't like dragons" she said and her long blonde hair flew to the right hand side. She picked up the book she had been reading, a beautiful book telling the stories of the princess Alison and her betrothed prince Elijah as they went on adventures and killed the dragons. She had been on a very interesting chapter, where prince Elijah had just slain another dragon, saving Alison's life and he was about to kiss her, just as her sixteen old year brother had decided that suddenly she had turned into Galbatorix.

"You are just weird. Everyone likes dragons" Tristan said and happily picked out a book which told the stories of the old days as dragons had come to be. His blonde hair, the same colour as hers was falling in his eyes.

"Tristan, you need a haircut. We cant go to the town center like this. How will an egg hatch for you if you are looking like an outlaw?" their mother said as she walked into the room and stopped frozen as she noticed Daisy pooping at the corner of the room.

"What is the goat doing inside the house?" their mother said in a very unsteady tone of voice, just as Daisy behd happily unaware of what was happening.

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Don't look at me, I have no idea"

"Liar", Kayla said as she held her book closer to her chest. "Tristan decided that Daisy was a dragon so he brought her in the house and then started attacking me with a wooden sword" she said in a dramatic voice.

Their mother, who was tall, blond and slender said nothing and pushed Daisy out of the room. When she came back inside the wrinkles on her forehead were more pronounced.

"I have told you before, that the goats are not allowed in the house. And Tristan how many times have I told you not to attack your little sister?"

"We were play fighting that's all. Once I get my own egg I will go to Brasungr to train with Eragon and other dragon riders and I won't need Kayla for that but for now she is the closest I can get to training", he said smiling happily. What Tristan didn't add was that often he and his friends would go out in the woods with real swords and fight a lot more fiercely, as Kayla had witnessed.

Their mother sighed and cleaned the corner where Daisy had just relieved herself.

"Look I even have a bruise" Kayla said lifting her elbow with a bruise that she had acquired yesterday afternoon when she had knocked herself on the door.

"Ha! You do? I have an even bigger bruise from where you hit me" Tristan said and picked up his shirt to show a bruise that was spreading just under his rib cage.

And there Kayla thought that she had only nudged him.

"It was self-defence" she proclaimed and pulled her tongue out to him. Tristan pulled his shirt down but looked angry.

Lately he looked angry very often. Their mother had said that he was in that growing phase that all boys went through where their body was changing but their mind hadn't really caught up to that.

And indeed Tristan was changing. He was taller than their mother, easily reaching at 6 foot, his shoulders looked broader than a few months ago and his muscles were more pronounced. Kayla remembered how he had looked like, only a year ago, when he still had that tummy flab and his cheeks had been rounder.

Kayla on the other hand, even though she was fifteen years of age had not acquired any womanly characteristics. She was shorter than her brother, maybe by a head, but she was still tall for a girl. She had long skinny arms and long skinny legs. The girls in her village who were the same age as her if not younger had plumper chests and rounder hips. Kayla often found herself being jealous of them or of the characters she read in her stories, because the princesses there were more womanly and beautiful. She still looked like a child.

She sighed annoyed and let the book fall of her lap to the ground. Tristan was still fighting imaginary enemies while their mother had just finished cleaning and had proceeded to prepare the evening meal. She was humming to herself in the kitchen while she plunged the feathers from a chicken but she looked tired. There were dark shadows under her eyes and Kayla had to wonder how she managed to do everything by herself.

Their father had died when she was young, in a hunting accident near the Spine, leaving their mother to care for both of them as they grew up. Until the age of 10 Kayla had never bothered to wonder where the food they ate came from or how she was able to get new clothes. She only knew that their mother had bought them for her.

A year after she started helping out in the library, sorting out the books in a correct manner, making sure all rented books were returned to their shelves and that the library got a minimum wage out of it. Renting a book was not expensive so many people often rented more than one. She and her brother Tristan had been the children that had loved spending their time in the library or with their noses into the books that they brought back to their house.

When Tristan was 11 he had decided to work for a smith in the village. He was getting a minimum wage out of that as well but combined with her small earnings from the wealthy people who often gave her tips for her service and the wage their mother got from working in the sewing machines it was enough for them to have a happy, content life.

However their mother looked extremely tired now and Kayla had to wonder if there was anything else she and her brother could do to help. She hoped that the two days of rest they got for the Brasungr festival would be enough to relieve the pressure from her mother's shoulders.

…...

Tristan threw the wooden sword in the air and caught it immediately. He looked at the sun outside of his window as it was going down and looked forward to when he would meet his friends to train.

The Brasungr festival was only two days, two days of rest for most and two days for children and adults alike to touch the dragon egg's surface and see whether the egg would hatch or not. It was the forth year that Tristan had been allowed to participate in the ceremony as the years before he had been too young and the elves were very particular about the age limits. He remembered in the beginning when the leaders of all races and Eragon had spent many days on deciding the appropriate age of training. They had concluded that 13 years of age were enough as each child had started entering adulthood. The limiting age had been another issue and once again they had decided that 25 was a good enough age as well but older individuals could participate if they so wished.

Elves would carry 10 eggs every year across each town, each village and each corner of Alagaesia where life existed, whether that life was Urgal, dwarf, human or elf.

When the elves arrived at the town, city, periphery or village, the inhabitants had to pause their daily activities for two days, and the empire would provide food supplies and the sort. The poor would feast on meat and the rich would take a break from their tiring jobs. Caravans and Magicians followed the elves and always put on a good show. People had been scared of dragons for long enough and this was the time to remember that dragons were not like Shruikan and to celebrate the peace.

Tristan could not wait. Tomorrow, the first of the two days would begin, and the elves would arrive. He had been given a break from helping the village's smith and he knew all too well what he would use his time for.

"I am going hunting with the guys" he said loud enough so that his mother and sister could hear. Kayla had her nose inside the book she was reading again so he didn't know if she had paid attention.

Their mother however turned to look at him with an expression of worry.

"Don't go too near to the Spine" she warned and Tristan nodded. He could already feel the adrenaline pumping inside his body, demanding it to move, to fight, to train. But he was not stupid or careless enough to go near the Spine.

Even though it was said that Eragon had killed the last of the Lethrblaka, people in Arhan were still afraid of the mountains as peculiar accidents kept happening and the land was not all clear of dangerous creatures.

He kissed his mother on the cheek as he went to exit and only then did a particular memory enter his mind, making him momentarily dazed.

_His father had his dark brown hair down, the beard reaching his chest as he put arrows behind his back and held the bow tightly. He was wearing a furry coat and put the hood on top of his head as the wind blew loudly outside of their house._

"_I am going hunting with Belor and Orrik. Belor found the trails of a deer yesterday and we think it is still near the forest since the weather has been quite bad for it to move. Hopefully we will have a nice venison stew, like the one your mother makes" his father said and grinned running his large, calloused hand through Tristan's hair. _

_Tristan stared at the towering figure of his father, who looked so strong and invincible. _

"_Daddy, daddy will u get me flowers?" a young Kayla asked. She had her hair short and her face was round, her cheeks pink from the heat of the fire crackling in the fireplace._

"_Now, now, you know that daddy is only going hunting for a short while…" a younger, less tired version of his mother said but Kayla crossed her hands over her chest and pouted._

"_But I want the pretty blue flowers"_

_Their father let out a loud laugh that made the tables and chairs vibrate. _

"_I am sure I will be able to find something. Tristan, take care of the girls for me while I am away and next time you better be ready because I am taking you with me" his father promised. Young Tristan had been begging him for days to take him to a hunting trip but the excuse was always the same. He was too young. _

"_Don't go too near to the spine" their mother whispered and held his father tightly for a moment longer._

_His father let out another deep laugh and bent down to kiss their mother on her cheek._

_He exited the door, smiling and holding tightly the bow he had made by himself from oak wood._

The same bow that Tristan now held tightly into his own grip as he went into the forest.


	3. Hunting Trip

**Hunting Trip**

Tristan looked at his target and let the arrow fly from his fingers, hitting the red spot just beneath the branch of the tree, sinking deep inside the plant's bark.

He felt pride swelling inside him and walked to take the arrow out of the target. However he was distracted and he did not notice the swift movement of another being. It attacked him from behind and Tristan felt the full force of the being's weight. He crashed to the ground, the air rushing out of his lungs as he strained to turn around and get the being off of him.

"You are a good shot but you still need to work on your reflexes" Grion said and smiled as he went to help Tristan up. Grion was older than him by a year and the son of the village's head protector so he had always been trained by the best around. He had been more than willing to train and help alongside Tristan and Buster.

Tristan returned the smile but he did not hesitate to take the advantage and as he was being pulled up, he kicked his friend's knees. Grion fell on the ground, making a big thump and swore. Tristan smiled back to him, holding his bow up.

"So do you" he replied and then threw his bow to the side and fell on his friend with full force. Grion struggled and kicked him just below the ribcage, once. Tristan released his hold on Grion's head and his friend got the chance to free his legs which were now dangling around with no control. Tristan threw a punch at Grion's shoulder and his friend flinched. They continued fighting like this for a while, trying to gain control over one another but soon enough it was clear that it was a draw.

When Buster came to find them they were both breathing out hard and loud and had their backs against the wet forest ground.

"I don't think our plan is working" Buster said miserably and slammed to the ground next to them. Buster was the youngest of the three, only 14 and this would be his first year in the Brasungr ceremony.

"When you say plan… Which one of them are you referring to?" Tristan asked, curious, as Grion shot up to his elbows.

Buster exhaled angrily and pointed at Daisy, the goat. She was standing only a few meters away from them and she was concentrating on tearing the roots of a certain weed with her strong jaws.

Grion smiled and Tristan chuckled as Buster shot them murderous glances.

"Haha. Very funny. Wrapping the goat in bacon pieces and taking her out in the woods to attract bears and the short, in order to practise shooting, was not a good idea. I have been watching her for all this time while you guys have been doing actual training and nothing has appeared!" Buster shouted and Daisy raised her ears just as a piece of bacon fell from her shoulders.

A bird dived from the sky just then and picked up the piece of bacon and quickly flew away to a nearby tree to chew on the meat happily.

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "I believe a bird is an ideal target in order for you to perfect your…" he started but Buster's murderous glances stopped him mid-sentence. He smiled politely.

Grion chuckled in the corner. "You call this training? This was a mere play-fight. Tristan needs a lot more to catch up with me. As for the goat thing, it was not my idea"

Tristan decided to ignore the comments about his training. He knew just as well as Grion, that their wrestle had not just been a play-fight.

He shot his hands in the air and grinned apologetically. "I know I am full of good ideas, aren't I? Speaking of which… Daisy come here, my lovely goaty…" he said and went to remove the bacon pieces from the goat and grabbed from his leather pouch some pieces of string and another object.

"His relationship with the goat is beginning to worry me" commented Grion as he watched carefully what Tristan was doing.

"I think it's reaching a point where some would consider it unhealthy" continued Buster and gave a hand to help Grion up.

Tristan, hearing their comments snorted loudly.

"Nonsense! Daisy has been nothing but helpful" he said as he put the goat into place and picked up his bow. He walked back quite a few steps, his feet sliding across the wet grass as his two friends watched him cautiously once more.

"You guys want proper training? Then watch this" he said as he let out an arrow that hovered across in a straight line and cut the apple that had been placed on top of daisy's head in half.

…..

Kayla was threading some flowers through a thin piece of string in order to make a necklace for tomorrow's celebrations. Even though she greatly disliked dragons she couldn't deny that she loved the ceremony that took place every year.

Many people would visit their town and make-shift table stands were set, where itinerant tradesmen would place their products. Even though the money they had was little, their mother had never denied them the chance to pick a treat.

Kayla remembered, last year, that they had bought a very intricate piece of stone that the tradesman swore, was carved from a diamond that Saphira had made. Her mother had thought it to be pretty but it was Tristan who insisted on buying it as he loved all things that were related to dragons.

The years before Kayla and her mother had tasted a new type of fruit that was orange, soft and gooey and tasted very much like caramel. The tradesman said he had brought it from the lands of Surda.

Her stomach rumbled at the thought and her gaze fell on the roast chicken that her mother was cooking near the fireplace. The juices fell from the chicken's skin, making the fire sizzle underneath and the meat had now began to caramelize, the outer part turning crispy and dark brown. Her mouth watered.

She looked at her mother who was standing near the window with a worried expression on her face as the dark had begun to settle. It was a late summer night and there was a faint breeze coming through the window openings.

Kayla saw her mother biting her lip, sighing once, twice, until she got up and went to check on the chicken.

Just then the door opened and Tristan entered with a huge grin fixed upon his face. Kayla saw her mother's shoulders relax as she greeted her son and went to get plates.

"Did the hunting go well?" Kayla asked her older brother and placed the necklace she had been making in a draw.

"I caught a bird" he replied and placed a small thing, the size of both her hands put together, on top of the table. Feathers flew at her direction and she coughed.

"And how did your special training go?" she asked in a smaller voice so that her mother wouldn't hear. Tristan grinned and made a sign that indicated he would tell her later.

Once the meal was served Tristan didn't pause to talk and stopped only to take short breaths of air in between as he gnawed on every chicken part he could get his hands on. Kayla on the other hand took a chicken leg and tentatively chewed her way until the bone while she regarded her brother with disgust.

Their mother had a few pieces of chicken and bread and then stopped and looked at her children happily. Kayla saw her mother's eyelids beginning to shut. She quickly snapped them open and looked at her children once again.

"Excited for tomorrow?" she asked, smiling. Tristan's mouth was full of food so the only thing he could do was nod while Kayla went on to talk about the different objects that would be present in the market and the sort of celebrations that had appeared last year. They talked a bit more about the number of eggs the elves would present to them this year and then their mother excused herself, heading to bed.

With their mother gone and nothing left but the chicken carcass, Tristan was free to speak his mind.

"It's my year Kayla, I can feel it!" he said and there was a glint in his eyes, made by the fire's light.

"You know, no eggs have ever hatched for someone in our village" Kayla said. She was the reasonable one whereas Tristan was the person who would jump straight into something without thinking about the possible consequences.

"Yes, but I have been training with Grion and Buster and my shot has improved greatly…" her brother continued looking lazily at the ceiling.

Kayla said nothing as she put the plates near the side and said goodnight to Tristan. Kayla was no fool and she did not read only princess tales. Before she had gotten her hands on them she had read every book there was in the library, including the ones about dragons. She had never liked their species, they were too big and ugly for her tastes. They were slithery reptiles that feasted on a thousand cows, if the legends were to be believed, hard to tame and breathed out fire.

But from what she had read and what she did know was that a dragon egg did not just hatch for anyone. Even though 10 eggs were sent each year across the land not even half of these, hatched. The students in Brasungr hardly added up to 40 even though the eggs had been going around for more than 15 years.

Kayla spread her blond hair around her pillow, like a fan and touched with her toes the edges of her bed. She had never really considered there was a possibility for her brother to be picked as a dragon rider, but what if he did? Would her mother be happy? Would her life continue to be the same?

Anxiously she turned around on her bed as these thoughts penetrated deeper into her unconsciousness. She hadn't appreciated the importance of having a brother. She did not have any close friends or even just people she hung out with, unlike her brother. Apart from her mother he was the closest she had in this world and in all her life she had disregarded him.

As the new sun was rising, a mark of the day's beginning, Kayla knew she was being selfish, but she wished with all her heart that Tristan would not be picked as a dragon rider.

**Eragoner since I can't figure out how to directly reply to your review I will post the answer to your questions here. Brasungr is a new word that I use to name the place where the new dragon riders will be trained. Eragon and Saphira are not the main characters but they appear quite often as they are the dragon rider trainers and I am thinking of writing chapters from their perspective as well. Thanks for your helpful comments and I will take your pointers on board!**


	4. The Festival Begins

**The Festival Begins**

Tristan woke up instantly when the first rays of light touched his face. He needed no other queue than this, and he put on a clean white shirt and a pair of leather leggings that he used for hunting but had now brushed clean from the dirt and sweat. On top he wore his leather boots that shone in the morning light and looked proudly at his outfit. He run a hand through his hair and realised that indeed it was too long.

Following his mother's advice, he headed to the water basin and splashed his face with cold water. He got his hunting knife out and started cutting long strands of hair. After he was finished he dipped his head inside the cold water for a few seconds before he came out, to take a deep breath of air, feeling renewed and energised.

_I am ready_, he thought to himself.

…

Tristan was waiting for his friends at the top of one of the tradesman buildings in the centre of the village. Below him, he could see the tents and make-shift tables that had been set up late last night to accommodate the vast number of elves, magicians, soldiers and traders from all around Alagaesia. He could already see a table sprawled with some sort of gems and jewels and he knew that this would make his sister and mother happy.

He continued watching as the leaders of the village came out to greet the dragon egg carriers and as the time passed more people started gathering around the square and the market. He heard light footsteps behind him and he turned around and threw a rock at the noise's direction.

Grion stumbled but didn't fall and Buster behind him crouched.

"Tskk .. You guys are late… But good dodge!" Tristan said as he looked at the sun above him. Midday was quickly approaching.

"It's not my fault" Buster said as he tried to disentangle himself from something which seemed to hung around his throat. Tristan went to examine it more closely.

"Is that a red string?" he asked and rose his eyebrows. Grion started laughing.

Buster sighed, annoyed.

"It's apparently the new fashion in the big cities and my mom insisted…" he said as Tristan tried to unknot the thick red string.

"It looks like what our goat wears, actually. It suits you" Tristan commented and Buster shot him murderous glances.

Tristan raised his hands in the air as he threw the red material on the ground.

"I am quite surprised you didn't bring Daisy here …" Grion said and chuckled. Tristan smiled just as his friends managed to settle on some space near him.

"I would have, but I decided to give her a break from all the dragon business. You know, the excitement and all would not be good for her health "he replied and laid down on his belly with his elbows propped up, to see what was going on down below.

They had picked this place because it offered the best view of the events that would occur in the Brasungr ceremony and they didn't want to miss even a single part.

More people were gathering around the square, excitement evident in their every movement. An array of wooden tables was set up in the middle of the square, where the eggs would be presented one by one to the people of Arhan. One of the elves was discussing something with one of Arhan's leaders, pointing at a big list in front of him, no doubt the list with the names that had to be called.

Slowly one by one each egg was laid on top of the tables inside a protective material. Tristan noticed that there were eggs of all colour and shape present, some bigger, some smaller. Legend had it, that whatever the colour of the egg was, the dragon being harboured inside would bear the same markings, complexion and shades.

Buster leaned at the edge of the roof to get a better view of the proceedings and noticed the representatives from each race, four of them that had formed a square around the remaining 8 eggs in a protective manner.

More soldiers had circled their periphery, their armours glinting in the morning sun as well as magicians who wore peculiar clothes and robes. Some of them had intricate designs around their faces and had their eyes closed, obviously concentrating on something.

"See the magicians on the right? They are creating wards to protect the eggs and trying to quickly skim the thoughts of everyone around to make sure we are not posing any danger to the eggs" Tristan commented, pointing to where the figures in the robes where.

"So they know everything I am thinking about?" Buster said, and his cheeks flushed.

"What exactly have you been thinking about?" Tristan asked and rose his eyebrows. Grion chuckled at the back.

"They won't read all your thoughts. There are too many of us to do that. They are only scanning in case they find any potential threats" Grion explained to the young boy.

Tristan looked through the mass of soldiers and magicians, trying to recognise any famous faces but Buster spotted one before he did.

"Is that Roran, Eragon's cousin?" he bellowed and almost lost his footing and fell from the rooftop. Tristan put a protective arm in front of him and looked at where his friend was pointing.

Indeed, just beside the tent, a tall figure stood, with shaggy brown curls and an untrimmed beard. The person could have been anyone but for the large hammer he carried strapped across his back.

"Not just Roran. He is Roran Stronghammer" Grion said and let out a big whistle. He continued to explain to Buster, Roran's feats during the Vardens' uprising against Galbatorix.

As impressive as seeing Roran was, Tristan still longed to see Eragon. In the last few years he had expected the dragon rider to be present but instead only his representatives were. He knew very well that Eragon could not be present in all places at the same time, despite his legendary abilities, and after the fall of Galbatorix the empire had needed him and the leaders of the races to complete many tasks, whether that was recruiting new riders, healing the sick, rebuilding the city structures or fighting off impending dangers.

He scanned the crowd in order to see if there was anyone else he recognised from the stories and legends but nothing. . .

Tristan sighed disappointed and went to study the elves as they had always fascinated them. There were three of them today, as they were brushing the eggs with theirs hands and cloths. Their limbs seemed to be moving quickly but their faces were expressionless. If he didn't know any better he would have guessed they were sleep walking or something. He could not understand how they looked so cold, so distant… Like statues carved from stone, looking both young and old, both wise and thoughtless. Their ears were pointed, their skin pale, their body lean. The elf representative and dragon rider that circled the eggs in the square, seemed a bit more earnest, if he could be described as that, almost more humanoid.

He shifted his attention to the dwarf dragon rider who had a hammer very similar to Roran's strapped across his back and broad shoulders almost the length of a regular height human. He was wearing a heavy armour and a thick dark red beard reached his knees.

The human dragon rider was a woman with dark brown, bushy hair and a serious expression fixed upon her face. She also had broad shoulders and she was dressed in heavy armour with a sword hanging on her shoulder that glittered whenever she moved.

Tristan went to examine the last of the circle but then Buster let out a shout.

"Is that an Urgal?" he bellowed pointing at the last dragon rider. Some of the people who had gathered in the square raised their heads up at their direction including the Urgal.

Grion shot Buster a silencing gaze but Tristan stood still. The Urgal gave them a few long looks, its horns protruding from just under his ears, his greyish skin a great contrast to his yellowish eyes. His head was clean shaved with no visible hairs and he was dressed in leather armour. Long, razor sharp nails protruded from his hands and even though legend had it that they had seven toes just like the dwarves the tall boots he wore gave Tristan no clear answer. The Urgal opened slightly his mouth showing the array of teeth he bore, sharp and long like his nails but whereas his nails curved on the inside like talons his teeth were pointy. He did not appear to be carrying any weapons compared to the other dragon riders but then again he did not need any. He easily stood at just under eight feet tall, the tallest of the crowd and the deadliest as well, Tristan did not doubt.

Once the people from below had stopped staring at them he turned to look at Buster.

"He is not just an Urgal but a Kull, the strongest and fastest of the Urgal" he explained.

Buster looked baffled by that.

"But I thought Urgals did not become dragon riders" he whispered, still staring at the towering figure in the town centre.

"Have you not been to any previous ceremonies? Have you not read any books?" Grion asked and crossed his hands over his chest.

Buster shook his head apologetically.

"This is my first year in the Brasungr ceremony. My mother did not allow me to come to it in previous years because she said it was dangerous" he said and sulked in the corner.

"Your mom ought to give you a bit more credit" Tristan said as he picked up the red string and smiled, throwing it at Buster's direction.

Buster dodged and then looked at the dragon riders again, slightly perplexed.

"But if the dragon riders are here then where are their dragons?" he asked.

Grion smiled secretly and started to say something but Tristan raised his hand in the air and shushed him.

The boys looked down at the small stage which had been set up in front of the eggs. Dead silence lingered and all the people in the square including the tradesmen and soldiers had their attention fixed on the stage. The sun was low in the horizon and it was casting dramatic shadows.

One of Arhan's leaders walked on the stage and cleared his voice, the noise echoing loudly around the silent village.

"For many years the races in Alagaesia had been under Galbatorix's reign. War plagued the lands and death and illness followed. Young men were taken from their families to join his army and many did not return. Galbatorix was a tyrant, a terrible and twisted man that had used ancient magic to bind a dragon to him when his previous one had died in an accident. Some of the races tried to resist, the elves, the dwarves and the Varden had formed alliances to stop his terrible rule but nothing worked"

The leader paused, to swallow, the noise once again loud.

"That was until one dragon egg was stolen from the tyrant and transferred by magic in the mountains known as the Spine. A young boy then, Eragon from the land of Carvahall, happened upon the egg and brought it back to his own home. This was the beginning of the end for Galbatorix as Eragon grew to be a dragon rider and with the help and unison of all races, the Elves, the Urgals, the dwarves and the Werecats he overthrew the tyrant and brought peace to this land. In the last twenty years the empire of Alagaesia has prospered like no other time, known by word or scroll. The races live in unison with each other and the riders protect land and water" he said and bowed down to let an elf walk to the stage with an air of dignity and grace.

"Before this ceremony begins I have to inform every one of you about the rules. Names will be called from the eldest to the youngest, from males to females. Every person will have the chance to touch the eggs twice, once today and once tomorrow to avoid the chances of mistakes being made and to put everyone's doubts at ease. Once a name is called you can either reject the offer or accept it and walk to the stage to touch the dragon eggs. You are only allowed to touch each egg once and then move to the next. You cannot linger more than a minute on each egg. If the eggs do not crack, you will leave the stage in the same manner you walked on it. You are not by any means allowed to damage the eggs and if weapons are found in you possession you will be restrained and questioned. Only one person is allowed to walk on the stage at a time and no family members or friends are to be included. Insults or cheers from the crowd are to be kept to a minimum, otherwise the people responsible will be removed" the elf finished in a very serious tone and walked down the stage, as elegantly as he had entered it.

Silence still lingered amongst the people, although there was the occasional cough or snort.

The dwarven dragon rider that Tristan had noticed before, walked onto the stage - his height not surpassing the humans even with the slight elevation -.

He cleared his throat, once, twice in a very loud manner and drums started playing in the background which made the hairs on Tristan's arm rise and he felt the vibration reach his chest.

The rider had a deep, baronet tone and with this he began to sing:

"_15 __dragon eggs are left _

_only one rider will be elect _

_10 are transferred every year _

_Young riders do not fear _

_Participation is always dear_

_Let the fires burn,_

_Let the winds descend,_

_Hear the mighty growl, _

_More than just a man,_

_Brasungr festival has begun!"_

As the dwarf finished the song, the vibrations increased instead of decreasing and large shadows overcast the crowd. Tristan looked up just as a large talon missed his head by inches.

Buster let out a tiny whimper and Tristan watched astounded as four dragons flew above them, with their giant wings covering the light of the sun. The dragons did not make any sound but Tristan could feel the force of the wind as their wings rose up and down.

He felt the warmth before he saw it and the dragons let out jets of flames against each other that connected in the middle like a blazing sun, much more intense than the one in the background that was close to setting.

Everyone gazed, dazed until all too quickly the dragons stopped and flew away in opposite directions. The North, the South, the West and the East.

The drums started playing again, but in a less intense beat than before and another of Arhan's leaders stood at the stage with a huge scroll in his hand. As the elf had said before, the names were called from the eldest to the youngest, from males to females.

The first name was called and a man of forty years of age went to the stage to touch the eggs. Nothing happened and the next man was called and the next and the next.

Tristan watched patiently as everyone took their turns and he awaited his own. The sun had almost set when Grion's name was called and the boy quickly jumped from the building to walk to the stage. Tristan managed a "good luck" before his friend disappeared and he felt his palms sweat as his own turn was approaching.

After Grion a few more boys were called to the stage but as had happened with everyone else before him, the eggs did not crack. Tristan gave a quick peer to Buster as he stood, watching everyone before him, with a concentrated expression on his face.

Just then Tristan heard his own name, clear and loud and he felt his heart swell. He got up to walk to the stage but suddenly his knees felt weak. He angrily shook his head and mentally slapped himself which helped him proceed.

His footsteps felt loud against his ears as he walked on the stage.

His gaze fell upon the first egg, a dark brown, scaly thing. He put his hands on the egg's surface and waited but nothing happened and he went to the next one.

This egg was greyish brown, a bit larger than the rest of the eggs and when Tristan put his hands on top of it nothing happened.

He walked to the next one and the one after that, and then the next one and the one after but nothing was happening and he was beginning to despair until he reached the last two.

The first egg was a silvery purple and the second a silvery blue, roughly of the same size.

He placed his hand on the silvery purple and waited. In the beginning there was nothing but silence and then he felt the brush of a consciousness against his mind.

_Could it be?_

He waited, counting the seconds until he reached a minute and then released the egg. Its surface remained smooth and unbroken and Tristan was confused. Surely he had not imagined it…

"Last egg" an elf close to him whispered, the same one who had recited the rules and his gaze was fixed on Tristan.

Tristan swallowed and went to touch the last egg, his right hand slightly shaking as it rested on the surface. Again, there was a nudge of consciousness in his mind, he could not deny this and he almost jumped but his fingers remained on the egg.

The silvery blue egg seemed to be momentarily glowing, almost pulsing and he felt a train of thoughts in his mind, which were not his own.

"Time is up, young boy" the elf who spoke before said and Tristan reluctantly stepped away from the egg. He gazed at it, willing it to crack but nothing happened.

"You can try again tomorrow, if you feel you didn't have a fair chance" the elf said, almost kindly.

Tristan shook his head and walked away from the stage, feeling tears cloud his vision. He tried to separate the crowd in order to go through but they were stalling him and he was getting annoyed. Finally he got away from the market, the stage, the voices, the people and he started running. He felt moisture on his face but he did not care, he only kept running until he reached dark, tall trees and then continued running until his lungs felt like they were burning from the rush of the cold air. There he dropped to his knees and he started screaming from the anger, the pain, and the desperation. He heard other screams as well in the night, screams that did not match his own but he did not care to find out who's they were.

He continued screaming until his throat croaked and his eyes dried out and the moon bled.


	5. A Danger in the Dark

**A Danger in the Dark**

Kayla had been late.

It wasn't her fault entirely as her mother had been in a deep sleep until the early hours of the afternoon and she did not want to wake her up.

When her mother had gotten up eventually, the dark circles had almost disappeared from under her eyes and she looked re-energised and happy. Kayla did her mother's hair, making intricate designs and put the flower necklace she had made last night on top of it. She smiled, pleased with her handiwork, and then went on to wear a blue dress that matched her eyes and let her blonde hair loose.

It had been her mother who had soon realised they had to leave, if they wanted to be at the Brasungr ceremony in time to see Tristan. They had arrived just as the four dragons connected their fire in the middle of the square and the earth shook from the vibration the creatures were making while flapping their wings.

Kayla remembered her mother's mouth as it had turned into an O. The celebrations in years before had been nothing like this, yes, still magnificent but nothing of this scale. Even though the scaly creatures terrified Kayla she had to admit that this was a celebration they would not forget for the rest of the year.

Once the names started being called, she and her mother had tried to squeeze their way into the village square but it was teeming with people and it was hard to get close to the stage. Kayla did not mind since her name would be one of the last ones to be called. However, she was curious to see her brother walk on stage, even though he as well would have a long time to wait.

It was a summer night and the heat was clinging onto her skin like a mosquito clinging onto blood and she sighed angrily at the mass of people who swam around her, the odor from their sweat reaching her nostrils.

"Kayla, come here, look at his" her mother said taking her hand and bringing her closer to a make-shift table stand.

"See your loved ones for only a silver, have magic rocks that float only for two. Come to my lovely magic den" the man behind the table stand was saying to her, her mother and the people around them.

She noticed the table stand had golden goblets filled with water and rocks that floated just a few inches above the stand. There were also intricate wooden ornaments that had shapes of weird creatures the names of which Kayla did not know.

"I want to see Nasuada, the queen of the Varden!" someone from the back shouted. The man behind the magic objects, raised both his eyebrows. He had weird black markings along his arms and legs but she could not see his face properly as he was wearing a hood.

"I am only a small magician and the person you wish to see has wards around her mind which are tougher to break than the mountains in the Spine. Please choose people that you know and don't have protection spells around them" he replied, tapping his foot on the ground.

Someone shouted something else and the man went to say some words on top of one of the goblet and then images appeared. Kayla let out a small sound.

"What about this rock that floats? How does this work?" her mother asked the man after he had finished with the water goblet and held his silvers.

"You take the rock into your hand and you say the word_ Risa_. I have enchanted it so you don't need magic, only the word" he said and gave the rock to her mother. Kayla watched closely as her mother whispered the word and suddenly the rock flew some inches above her hand.

A bright smile formed on her mother's face and she clapped her hands like a child on its birthday.

"Kayla, look its flying! Do it as well" her mother said, excited and gave her the rock.

The rock was small and round, plain, nothing out of the ordinary but Kayla could feel something when she touched it. She held it in her hand and like her mother before her she whispered the word.

"_Risa_" she said but nothing happened to the rock. Her mother looked at it peculiarly.

"Why is the rock not flying?" her mother asked the man behind the table stand. He raised both his eyebrows and shook his head.

"_Risa_" Kayla repeated, feeling a tiny part of her brain come to life but nothing happened to the rock. She held the rock in her palm and showed it to the magician.

"I don't think it's working" she said to both the man and her mother. The man looked perplexed.

"Repeat the word. Unless I give you another rock…" he said and started searching the carefully placed rocks he had on the wooden stand.

"_Risa_" Kayla said, giving it one more try and concentrating so hard on the rock that she felt her temples burning.

She saw the rock wobbling on her hand and then it started flying, first a few inches and then higher and higher. Satisfaction coursed through her until she started feeling lightheaded, her feet unsteady on the ground, almost as if they had risen a few inches as well and she fell on the table stand hard, everything that was on it smashing to the ground.

"Kayla, are you okay?" her mother said, rushing to her side and gently touching her brow. Kayla nodded but then the magician came behind them and started shouting.

"You just destroyed all these objects! Do you know how long it took me to set everything up?" he bellowed and started picking the goblets and the rocks in his hands, trying to put them back in place. A small crowd of people had started gathering around them, watching the scene.

"I am sorry, we promise to help you" her mother said and went to help the man pick the objects but he pushed her back.

"No, just give me the money for the rock and go" he said, almost growling, pulling his hood up and muttering some unknown words.

Her mother nodded, taking two silvers out of her pockets and giving them to the magician while Kayla scowled.

"Mom, what are you doing? Don't give him the coins! It's his fault the rock didn't work properly" she whispered but her mother shushed her, helped her get up and then walked towards the stage.

"We still did cause some trouble for him" she explained to her daughter and smiled. "Now, show me the rock again"

Kayla hadn't realised she was still holding the rock and passed it to her mother. She expected her mother to start saying the word _Risa_ again and making the rock fly but she didn't.

Instead she looked straight ahead where some people were playing music with drums, rebecs and flutes and some of the villagers had set themselves the task of leading the dance around the square. She was surprised that even with all these events happening, the music playing, the people shouting and going about their business, she was still able to hear the calling of names.

That's why when Tristan's name was called, both her and her mother switched their full attention to the stage where the dragon eggs stood.

Kayla saw her brother jumping from a nearby rooftop and heading towards the stage with a quick pace. She could tell from his movements that he was anxious and she felt her mother's hand, grip onto hers.

"Do you think he will be picked as a dragon rider this year?" her mother asked and Kayla couldn't tell if she wanted her daughter's answer to be negative or positive.

They both watched, the air suddenly caught in their lungs. They watched as Tristan walked by the first 6 eggs and nothing happened and then they watched as Tristan seemed to pause in the last two.

Again, none of the eggs moved from their pedestal and Tristan walked of the stage in a quick pace. Kayla watched as her brother quickly parted the crowd of people and walked by them without looking back.

"Tristan!" her mother shouted but her brother did not hear and he kept going until he was lost from their sight.

Her mother still struggled to move in the vast sea of people and get closer to her son but Kayla shook her head.

"Give him some time" she said and suddenly she felt guilty for her thoughts last night. She shook her head trying to clear it, as her elbow throbbed from where she had fallen before. Her mother still looked worried but Kayla made a quick decision and pushed her towards the people who were dancing.

Kayla got a perplexed look from her as they were both drawn into the dancing cycle, with the rhythm slowly increasing and their dancing pace struggling to keep up. She didn't know how much time passed but she could tell that it was now fully dark and her mother was laughing. She almost forgot that the names were still being called so when she heard hers she was momentarily stunned.

"Kayla, daughter of Borosson, age 15 do you accept or decline?" the elf asked and Kayla left the dancing circle to stand forward.

The answer came easily to her as it had done so in the years before.

"I decline" she answered feeling a weight shift from her shoulders and she joined her mother for a few more dances. After that they strolled around the tents, gazing at some of the dragon riders, the elves and the rest of the make shift table stands, gazing for other interesting objects. She was careful, however, to stay at a safe distance this time as her mother was eyeing a particular flower that was glowing in the light.

She noticed that the calling of names had stopped and an airy silence persisted. Kayla could see the people moving but their movements were slow as if time had paused. She felt a shadow coming her way before she saw it and perplexed, she looked up.

A creature, the likes of which she had never seen before, was quickly descending towards the unaware crowd of people. She wanted to shout to them to run for cover but no voice was coming from her throat.

And as quickly as that feeling of time being paused had come, just as quickly it left.

The elves and the dragon riders were the first to notice the impending threat and they started moving fast, shouting orders to the solders just as a the creature let out a jet of dark liquid on top of some of the tents and the make-shift table stands.

People started screaming realizing what was happening and running around trying to cover themselves. The dark liquid that had fallen on the tents was smoking and some of it had fallen on one of the tradesmen who was screaming in pain.

"PROTECT THE EGGS!" the human dragon rider yelled as she stood before them with her sword raised while the figures in the dark robes had their eyes closed, their brows pulled together in concentration. The remaining dragon riders had also closed their eyes and soon Kayla saw a jet of flames. The elves went to gather the eggs but Kayla's attention shifted as she struggled to find her mother.

"MOM?!" she shouted as she looked at the place her mother had been standing at, only a few moments ago. Someone bumped into her with such force that she fell on the ground, face down. She tried to pull herself up, but a boot slammed into the back of her head. She felt dizzy, confused and when she managed to get on her knees she saw chaos.

Fires were burning all around her mixed with the dark liquid that only made the fire spread faster on the buildings and tents. A dragon was flying in the skies trying to attack the creature she had been before, but the creature took a right turn and dived towards her direction.

She would have screamed if she could but the creature was moving so fast that she didn't have the chance. Just as a gigantic, dark talon went to slice her face the Urgal Dragon Rider stood before her with a mace Kayla had not seen him carry and attacked the creature.

"Brising" be roared and fire came rushing from his palms just as a dragon descended from the skies to attack the dark creature from behind. She watched mesmerised as the two beings crashed with such force that the ground below her started shaking as if an earthquake was happening.

They were once again coming closer to her and she struggled to get on her feet and run just as the Urgal produced another set of flames.

"What are you waiting for? Run" he shouted at her angrily and run she did.

But just before she turned around to go, she saw the rider jumping on the dragon with elegance, his armor shining in the moonlight, his expression taught and serious, as he chased the creature higher into the skies.

**Hope you are all enjoying the story! REVIEW, FOLLOW OR FAV, it will only take a minute and honestly your interest is what keeps me going :). thanks!**


	6. Decisions, decisions

**Decisions, decisions**

Kayla run until she reached a clearing just before the forest where the citizens of Arhan stood alongside traders, soldiers, magicians and some elves.

"Walk inside girl, quickly" one of the soldiers told her and almost pushed her through an invisible barrier, where the rest of the people stood. Kayla looked around her, feeling disoriented and scared. She pressed her hands on her dress, which had now turned grey, and bit her lip hard until she tasted blood.

In her mind she could still see clearly the creature that had attacked from the skies. If she could compare it to anything, that would be a dragon simply because of the similarity in size and shape. That creature had a dark colour, almost black but she could not remember any specific characteristics of its head or body just that it moved in a blur and that it had long, sharp talons.

"KAYLA!" she heard a voice and turned around to see her mother, looking alarmed and running to her direction. Before Kayla was able to speak her mother had her in her arms, exhaling loudly.

"Are you okay?" her mother asked when she let her from her arms only to look into her eyes. Kayla nodded, almost unsteadily. She felt the need to cry but she pressed her lips tightly together and ignored the feeling.

"What happened? Why are we here?" the girl asked her mother.

"Nobody is really sure about what happened but after this creature started attacking, the soldiers started telling us to come to this clearing. The magicians have set wards around us so that nothing can penetrate unless they will it" she replied but Kayla's eyes scanned the periphery looking for the creature that had attacked and the dragons. For some reason she doubted that the wards would hold if the flying beings came towards them.

"What about the eggs?" Kayla asked in a low voice but her mother shook her head.

"I do not know much. I think all of them have been retrieved but they say there was a problem with some" her mother whispered and Kayla wondered what had happened.

She kept stealing glances at the horizon, fearing that the creature would return but instead she only saw the occasional dragon far in the distance or heard a growl. Kayla saw her mother sighing anxiously again as she paced up and down.

"I haven't seen Tristan. He is not here" her mother said in a low voice, as if to herself. Kayla put a protective arm over her mother's shoulders.

"He wasn't with us when the attack happened. He is probably back home" she said trying to reassure her. Her mother swallowed and nodded but she still kept biting her lip.

Kayla could hear the buzz of voices in the background. Some of the people seemed scared, others angry and some were even excited. She tried to block herself from all this unnecessary voice and wished she had her book with her.

She didn't know for how long they had been waiting, but soon she saw a dragon flying to their direction and landing only a few meters away from the invisible barrier. The dwarven dragon rider slid from the dragon's back and went to whisper something to one of the soldiers. The soldier nodded and soon he brought over one of Arhan's leader, the same one who had given the speech in the beginning of the Brasungr ceremony. The magicians, she noticed, seemed to instantly relax and opened their eyes. One of them went to drink water from his leather pouch.

People waited, watching the Arhan leader. He cleared his throat.

"The dragon riders have tried to locate the threat but it seems that as soon as it attacked the square, it flew away. The dragon eggs have been safely put in a place near here, the location of which I am not going to disclose. No decision has been made about the continuation of the ceremonies tomorrow but it is advised that for now, you return to your homes and stay there until further notice"

The leader finished and suddenly looked tired, almost ready to faint. One of the soldiers held him by the shoulder. People slowly begun to disperse heading back to their houses but some remained asking about injured family members.

Kayla went to leave but her mother gripped her hand.

"What if Tristan is one of the injured?" she asked, and her eyes grew bigger as if she was a terrified doe.

"He will not be one of the injured. And if he is, the magicians will be taking care of him and you will not be needed there" Kayla said in a rather harsh tone, which she regretted soon after when she saw her mother bite her lip harder than before.

She swallowed and took the road back to their house in silence. When her mother reached their household and realised that Tristan was not there she waited near the kitchen, with a piece of string in her hands and flowers. Kayla stood next to her, unable to go to sleep. She could just see the beginning of light coming from the horizon and just then she saw the door of their house crack open.

….

Tristan's shoulders slumped in as he walked inside the house, feeling embarrassed. He had no idea how he looked like, but it must not have been good.

"Are you okay? Were you harmed during the attack?" his mother asked him, rushing to his side, her fingers tenderly tracing the outline of his brows.

If not for the word attack, Tristan would have ignored them completely. But the word took him by surprise and he gazed at his family. His mother had dark circles under her eyes once again, a sweaty brow and bitten fingernails. His sister's dress was dirty, her hair was plastered to her forehead and she had scratches on her knees and arms.

"What do you ever mean? What happened? Are you okay?" he asked them and even though he still couldn't shake the turmoil of feelings inside him, he looked at them, worried.

"We are okay but there was an attack in the square just a few hours ago as soon as the calling of names stopped" his mother said and sat near the fireplace, looking exhausted.

An expression of pure horror crossed his face.

"The eggs? Are they all right?" he asked quickly, without pausing to take a breath of air.

"They said that there was a problem with some but they didn't give any further details. They have retrieved them in a secret location so we do not know if the celebrations will continue today" his mother continued. "But there is nothing that we can do now. There have been a few injuries but the magicians are tending to the wounded" his mother said and yawned, her eyelids closing despite her immense struggle to keep them open.

"I think you should go to bed, mom. We will talk tomorrow but as you said already there is nothing more that we can do" Kayla said and pushed her mother gently towards her room. She nodded, yawned once more and left them near the fireplace, where only ashes stood inside.

"What happened Kayla?" Tristan said, once he was certain their mother was asleep.

The girl gazed at him looking solemn, her blue eyes almost purple as the first rays of the rising sun entered the room.

"It came from above Tristan. I am not sure exactly what it was but please do not repeat what I am about to tell you to our mother. I do not want her to worry…"

Tristan nodded.

"It was like a shadow, almost like a dragon but a lot scarier and deadly than one. It almost killed me as it dived from the air and I could feel the darkness inside it…" his sister continued and almost shivered.

For a moment, he thought about putting a hand on his sister's shoulder as he had never seen her as frightened as this. He inwardly cursed himself because he felt he had abandoned his family at a time of need, just because an egg had not hatched for him. How selfish he had been!

"An Urgal dragon rider saved me. . . He was an Urgal, a monster in the stories and yet he put his life before mine" Kayla continued, looking bewildered.

"That's what dragon riders are supposed to do, Kayla. Protect land and water, life and freedom" he explained and once again his heart tightened in pain and disappointment. His sister watched him closely as he began to open up to her.

"An egg didn't hatch for me, once again. I thought this was my year, I could feel it in my heart but none of the eggs responded, nothing. Obviously I am not worthy enough. Galbatorix, the great and evil Galbatorix, had an egg hatch for him and I did not" he said, the words tasting bitter in his mouth.

"You have years ahead of you Tristan, do not give up hope…" his sister said but he stopped her mid-sentence and stood up, his hands curling into fists.

"Kayla you cannot attempt to understand what I am going through. In all my life I have had a purpose, something I wanted to do, something I felt I was meant to do. 3 years I have been presented with eggs of all shapes, sizes and colours and yet none have hatched for me. I have been training for years, my aim is perfect and my sword-fighting and wrestling abilities almost match Grion's. And yet nothing …" he said, once again the words tasting like a fruit gone bad.

"Tristan you know as well as I, that dragon riders are hard to pick. And if Eragon has not sent the appropriate egg towards you, even if you are meant to be a dragon rider, you might never be. Besides, as you said yourself you have been at the ceremony 3 years now and you can participate until you grow old"

He laughed, an awkward laugh.

"We both know that this is not true. I cannot become a dragon rider above the age of 40, maybe even 30 because my human body will have begun to decline by then. Dragons would never pick an old, withered human unless they had a death wish"

Tristan sighed and walked towards the window where he could now clearly see the sun rising, warming his face and body from the chill of the night before. His sister was still sitting beside the fireplace, deep in thought.

"I think you should see the eggs again" she commented, pushing her hair back from her brow. Tristan laughed, another awkward laugh.

"It doesn't work this way, you know. If an egg didn't hatch for me before why should it now? And besides with everything that's happened I highly doubt they will let us get even a few feet away from them. We don't even know where the eggs are!" he said and sensing a mixture of feelings rise in his chest, he started pacing up and down in the small room.

"You can search, I will help you! You have nothing to lose and this is something you have wanted for your entire life! Shouldn't you at least fight for it?" his sister said, her eyes alight with some emotion he could not fathom.

He thought about putting himself in front of the eggs again, hope rising in his chest at the prospect and then crushing into tiny little pieces if none of the eggs hatched. What did he have to lose really? His dignity? It was already crushed.

At the thought of spending his life as a smith, Tristan scowled. He walked to where his sister now stood and he looked at her blue-purple eyes, his image reflecting as if they were mirrors.

"Let's go find these dragon eggs"


	7. A Second Chance

**A Second Chance**

They left late afternoon, as soon as their mother had woken up, telling her that they would go to the city to find out what was happening. She looked worried but they reassured her that nothing would happen to them if they were together.

Kayla had exchanged her blue dress for a pair of leather pants and a loose white linen shirt, matching her brother's outfit. She had washed her body, face and hair, which was now in a ponytail. Her conversation with her brother in the early morning had stayed with her and she couldn't shake a feeling of uneasiness and guilt. Her wish had been granted but Tristan looked more miserable than ever and she did not want that.

They reached the village square as small puffs of smoke still flew towards the sky. Most of the buildings had been destroyed, cheap and expensive objects lying on the ground like sand grains in the sea bed and it was obvious that some villagers had made efforts to restore the order but not with much luck.

Kayla pointed a soldier to her brother and they both walked towards him.

"I need to speak to a dragon rider" she told the soldier. The man looked at her as if she was crazy.

"The dragon riders are busy, girl, they have been patrolling the skies all day" the man answered and fixed his helmet.

"What about any magicians or Arhan's leaders? We wouldn't be here if it wasn't important" Tristan said behind her.

The man shook his head, unsure.

"We are willing to exchange a goat. Lovely, little thing, makes milk every day and fixes your grass problems" Tristan continued and Kayla shot him a perplexed look and so did the soldier.

"Look, I am not interested in your goat. I do not know where the Arhan leaders are but I do know that some magicians and elves are tending to the wounded in the clearing we gathered last night. Whatever you have to tell them, must be very important otherwise…." The man was saying but Tristan was already running towards the clearing with Kayla following closely behind.

When they reached the clearing a few tents had been set up and Kayla could hear people crying. Tristan rose an eyebrow at her direction but she shook her head. There were guards outside each tent, their swords glowing in the sun, their expressions serious.

"I will distract them" Tristan told her and Kayla hid behind the tent, watching her brother approach the guards.

"So, how much do you get paid each day?" Tristan casually asked, while studying a piece of rock.

The guards watched him carefully.

"What do you want, boy?" one of them asked. Tristan sighed dramatically and threw the rock in the air, catching it again.

"It's just that I have always wanted to do something else apart from being a smith and your job looks so exciting! Getting to ride alongside elves, dragons and the sort. Do you feel a rush of adrenaline before a battle?" Tristan asked having both guards' attention and motioned to her to go.

She run around the tent, only a few inches behind the guards and entered as silently as she could, praying they would not turn around. Kayla sifted her attention inside and she saw more people than she had expected. Their moans reached her ears and she momentarily felt dazed.

She searched around trying to find someone that could take them closer to the eggs and she saw a magician, kneeling beside a man's bed, concentrating hard. She rushed to them and stood a few inches away not wanting to distract the healer. She noticed the magician had dark skin and her hair was short and curly.

Kayla watched in fascination as some of the man's injuries began to heal as if by themselves and black smoke rose from his wounds. The man had his eyes closed, wincing once so often. After she was done, the healer opened her eyes and breathed deep and slow. She took out from her bag a piece of bread and a jag of water and she drunk deep.

"I need your help" Kayla whispered behind the magician. The woman jumped, almost dropping the water she was holding and her attention sifted to Kayla.

"I am sorry but I am busy. I can't help you" the magician said and shook her head taking another sip of water.

"But I am willing to help you. I believe we can help each other" Kayla said to the woman and she looked surprised. The man beside them, let out a small wince and closed his eyes again.

"Girl, do you see all these wounded here? Do you hear their pain? Do you see the smoke rising from their wounds? In all our years, few of us have seen injuries of that extent. To heal them takes a tremendous amount of energy. Energy that we do not have" the woman said and run her hand through her hair, wiping sweat from the man's brows.

"You need energy. I can give it to you" Kayla said to the woman and the magician looked taken aback.

"I have read books and though I am sure they are not accurate I know how magic works. You need energy to heal the wounded, I will give you mine. I want the people of Arhan to be healed as much as anyone, since I live in this village. But in return you must talk to one of the dragon riders for me. There is something I need to tell them" Kayla continued.

"Girl, you do not know what you ask. It's a hard task tapping into someone's energy…" she started but Kayla cut her mid-sentence.

"But it will be renewed and you need all the help you can get"

The magician seemed to mull over this decision and then looked at Kayla. She felt a presence in her mind and she could see the woman concentrate, as her eyebrows were pulled together and she was breathing hard. There was a small part in her mind, something she had felt before and it was being approached by an alien entity.

She felt the energy flow as it moved from her to the magician and her knees trembled slightly. Kayla suddenly felt lightheaded and went to touch a wooden chair just as the connection between her and the magician broke.

The older woman looked as if she had just eaten an immense amount of fruit, and sugar was pumping throughout her body. She gave Kayla a drink of water and a piece of bread, which the girl accepted happily.

"Did you get enough?" she asked in a small voice.

"Yes. I got enough. I got more than…" the older woman started saying bewildered, but Kayla cut her mid-sentence.

"And my energy reserve will heal now. I know. Will you speak to the riders for me?"

The magician nodded twice and closed her eyes but her brows were not pulled together and it seemed as if she didn't need to expend any energy at all.

Kayla got up from the chair, feeling a bit better and waited as the woman opened her eyes again after a few seconds.

The magician got up and went to exit the tent while Kayla followed closely behind.

"And then when I was ten I killed this gigantic wild boar that roamed the Spine for years causing havoc and terror… "Tristan was saying to two extremely bored guards who kept glancing at each other. He glanced at her direction just as the tent opened and the two guards stepped back, startled, to let the magician pass.

"Dear sister where have you been? These two lovely people have been keeping me company while I was waiting for you" Tristan said, smiling widely and followed behind Kayla as he waved at the guards. "Until next time", he continued and the guards shot each other horrified expressions.

"You didn't say there would be two of you" the magician whispered to Kayla when they had put some distance between themselves and the guards.

"Will this be a problem?" she asked, suddenly worried. The magician closed her eyes for a bit and then shook her head.

"Follow me" she whispered to them both as she walked deeper inside the forest.

…

Kayla struggled to keep up with the turns and twists in the road but after only a little bit, she gave up. She still felt slightly weak from the loss of energy and she was steadily losing ground and being left behind. Tristan was in front of her, trying to start a conversation with the woman.

"Do all magicians have black markings such as yours?" he asked her.

"No" the woman replied.

"Is it true that you don't grow old, as fast as normal humans would?"

"Yes"

"Do you enjoy a roast chicken more than a vegetable broth?"

"Yes" the woman answered and then looked at Tristan baffled. "How does this connect with me being a magician?"

"It doesn't, I just wanted you to say something else other than yes and no" Tristan replied and gave her one of his biggest smiles.

Despite herself, Kayla smiled just as the woman came to a halt.

She saw nothing out of the ordinary at the place they stopped, apart from the fact there was a small opening between the trees.

"Mor' amr" the magician said and suddenly out of nowhere structures appeared and the opening that was before, now seemed ten times larger. A brown dragon lay down with its eyes closed, smoke rising from its nostrils.

The elf dragon rider appeared from between the wooden structures and approached them, looking deadly serious.

"What is it that you wish to speak of, young ones?" he asked in a solemn tone, his fair hair touching the sharp angles of his face.

"I am asking to see the dragon eggs again" Tristan said, standing close to Kayla. The elf seemed to consider this for only a little while.

"No" he replied.

"What is it with creatures who wield magic and single word answers?" he asked almost annoyed and Kayla touched his shoulder,

The elf rider sighed, almost impatient.

"What attacked us last night left a bigger damage than we had originally anticipated. Two dragon eggs are damaged and one is missing. We cannot afford to let you near these eggs" he explained. Tristan looked taken aback with this new information but he did not stop.

"We do not pose any danger. We just came to see them one more time…" he said just as the Urgal dragon rider appeared from inside the wooden structure. Kayla looked at him, wishing he could remember her from last night. If he did, he did not show any signs.

"No. Next year" the elf said and irritated Tristan nodded and turned around to leave.

"I demand to be presented to the eggs!" Kayla shouted, as she watched her brother giving up and something sparked inside her.

"You cannot demand anything little girl, you ask and if we want we give" the elf continued.

"But I have the right to see the eggs as everyone else in Alagaesia"

"You have already had your chance"

"No, I haven't. In all three years I have declined the offer but there was supposed to be another calling of names"

"And it is your own fault. You will have to wait until next year when Brasungr festival shall begin…" the elf continued but Kayla cut him mid-sentence.

"We both know that this is not desirable. How many eggs have hatched this year? Two? Will two dragon riders be enough? Already word has it that the number of dragon riders has started to decline. Give us a chance, you have nothing to lose and if you are afraid that we might damage the eggs, examine our minds, do whatever you want. We just want another chance" Kayla said again and almost begged.

The Urgal rider approached them and touched his chin, his yellow eyes glinting as the sun started to set. Kayla returned the gaze, not showing the slightest sign of fear.

"Impressive speech but why do you think you or your brother will be picked as dragon riders? What do you have that the other men and women here, lack? Please convince us" he asked her.

_I want my brother to be a dragon rider. I want him to succeed. _

"We want to be dragon riders. We went through all this trouble of finding you. I don't see any of the other men and women you mentioned standing before you"

The Urgal looked at the elf dragon rider who was intently studying Kayla and Tristan, his gaze lingering on both.

"One minute" he said. "One minute for each egg and if nothing happens you will go back to your house and wait for another year"

"Agreed" Tristan said behind her, in a calm demeanour, Tristan who got excited with anything dragon related.

They followed the elf and the Urgal inside the wooden structure leaving the woman behind as she turned around to go tend to the sick.

Five eggs stood before them in special pedestals and protective material surrounded them. Kayla, gazed mesmerized as she had never seen dragon eggs from such a close distance. The two dragon riders watched their every move, like lions watching their pray.

"The girl first. Don't forget, one minute for each" the Urgal said in a deep tone.

Kayla nodded and went to stand before the first egg which had the colour of almonds. She swallowed, suddenly very anxious as she felt her hand shake. She run a single finger, quick, across its surface and then went to the next one. This one, had the colour of the rising sun and repeating her previous movement, her hand touched the outside hurriedly. She didn't even properly touch the third egg before she went to the forth.

There she paused. This egg was different compared to the ones before. She couldn't determine its exact colour as it was something between silver, grey and purple. Her heart beat faster inside her chest and she felt sweat run down her back.

Her delicate fingers grazed the rough but smooth surface and she felt a presence inside her mind as she had done so when the magician had entered her mind. However this was a calm presence, a curious presence and it seemed to want to know more about her, slightly brushing the edges of her unconsciousness.

Kayla shivered and almost screamed, dropping her hand to the side. Without looking back she went to the last egg, a similar complexion to the previous one with that having highlights of light blue instead of purple. She pressed her right hand on top and she felt another consciousness demanding entrance into her mind. Perplexed and scared, she only held her palm on top for only a second before she rushed away and walked close to the two dragon riders.

Her breath was coming out loud, but she was trying to calm herself and show no signs of distress in front of the elves. She didn't want them to get the wrong idea.

She watched as Tristan walked to the pedestals, touching the eggs with his palms but he held them there longer than she had. Kayla could still feel the brushes of a consciousness in her mind making her uneasy.

_Please let a dragon hatch. Please let Tristan become a dragon rider_, she pleaded with her mind.

Tristan walked to the forth egg, placing both his palms on top as the two dragon riders watched carefully. He removed them after just a minute and put his hands on the final egg. There seemed to be a sudden change in his expression, surprise mingled with hope and then suddenly a noise echoed around the wooden structure and all four turned to see a crack appearing on the forth egg.

Kayla smiled but her brother appeared more puzzled than anything else and then another loud noise echoed and riders and humans alike gazed, shocked, at the large crack that had appeared on the final egg just as all hell was about to break loose.

**Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. What do you think of the plot so far? Do you like the pace the story is going at or should I increase it? Reviews/comments would be greatly appreciated ****. **


	8. Gedwey Ignasia

**Gedwey Ignasia**

Tristan looked around, bewildered, as elves, magicians and soldiers run inside and stared at the two eggs which had now began to crack, the noise even louder than before.

This was not at all, how he had expected this to go down. In the most far-fetched scenario, he could see himself walking up the stage, touching one egg and then this one egg would crack. What was unravelling in front of him was rather unrealistic. There was a feeling of pressure at the back of his head that only seconds ago had not been present and he recognised it as the dragon's presence.

"Nobody go near these eggs! Do you understand?" the Urgal dragon rider barked, his yellow eyes glowing as his horns appeared to be growing longer and his facial features twisted into a bewildered and angry expression.

The crack that had appeared in the middle of the blue-grey egg started getting thicker and a sound resembling very much the sound of a bird's beak atop a tree, echoed once more inside the tent.

"What is happening?" one of the magicians asked, as he closed his eyes trying to concentrate on something, but then quickly opened them again as if his spell was not working.

"I think this is something we are all quite curious to find out" the dwarven rider bellowed entering the tent, the human rider next to him.

She took the scene in front of her and her brows pulled together.

"Never have I heard of two dragons hatching for one rider" she whispered as she, as well ,closed her eyes and seemed to concentrate on something.

"Maybe they didn't" the Urgal commented and Tristan turned his attention to him. Never in his life had he felt so stunned. He was frozen into place, afraid to move forward, afraid to move backwards. Despite the immense amount of reading he had done upon dragons, nothing had prepared him for this.

"What ever do you mean?" the elf asked and turned his head around as a second crack appeared on the grey purple egg.

"Two humans touched the eggs, two eggs cracked. Coincidence? I do not think so... " he said and suddenly all gazes were fixed upon his sister. She was hiding in the back, trying to avoid attention but failing.

"The question however remains. If this is the case then which egg is for which rider" the dwarf said and scratched his beard which under the light appeared ginger.

Tristan knew how important matter that was. If first contact happened with anyone but the intended dragon rider the bond would be weak. He looked at the eggs both magnificent and unique and wondered which egg harbored his own dragon.

He heard the riders shooing the elves and magicians out until only he, Kayla and the riders remained inside. Something was entering his mind again, a presence he welcomed. Tristan remembered how he had felt something stirring in both the eggs, the purple and the blue, with the blue one being stronger than the purple but then again he could not be sure.

"I can neither enter the humans' minds nor the dragons. Something is blocking me" the elf said and his dark gaze fell on Tristan and Kayla. "How sure of yourselves you were, when you entered…"

All riders stopped talking and looked at each other, the silent trail of words passing between them, obvious.

"Tell us what you feel girl" the Urgal dragon rider said after a while and looked at Kayla.

"I… I am not sure" his sister replied but Tristan could tell that there was something she was not sharing with them. The Urgal sensed so as well and he pressed his lips together tightly.

"What about you, young boy?" the elf asked him and he tried to put into words the emotions he was feeling. His answer seemed to satisfy the riders and they turned upon his sister once again.

"Is there nothing in your mind right now, not even a single nudge?" the Urgal dragon rider asked Kayla. It was the second time in his lifetime that Tristan had seen her like this, lost of words and terrified.

"I..." his sister began but was cut mid-sentence by the elf.

"This is obvious, Stoic. The eggs are hatching for them both, as small as this chance might be. The purple belongs to the girl as she touched that one first and it was the first to crack as well and the blue to the boy. We can confirm this, once the eggs are fully cracked. The dragons should turn to their riders" the elf said, his fair hair running down his back in small waves.

"The dragons are only hatchlings, we cannot expect them to ..." the woman rider started but a sharp piece of the grey-blue egg's shell flew towards her direction and silenced her.

Another one fell just a few inches away from Tristan's feet and he could see the blue egg rocking fast on top of its pedestal just as a muzzle poked from the cracks. Despite himself Tristan walked forward and he watched mesmerized as a series of squeaks echoed and the dragon emerged from its shell. It had a tiny head the colour of the dark grey blue ocean and a small body no larger than his forearm, the colour, a dark silver blue. The dragon pressed one paw on the ground tentatively, as if it was testing it and then slowly extended its wings, which had the colour of liquid silver. Its two black eyes rested on Tristan just for a moment, before it lazily hang its tongue out and started fanning its wings quickly. Without further due Tristan watched as the dragon started running quickly at his direction, using its wings for balance and awkwardly fell on his leather boots.

It seemed as if the dragon had a mischievous expression on its face and Tristan kneeled down to get a closer look at it. The dragon pulled its tiny forked tongue out, once, and pressed its head on Tristan's hand. A sudden rush of feelings enveloped him and he felt as if he had been dropped in an icy cold lake, with ice crystals poking on every inch of his being. He let out a loud scream as the pain intensified and felt his body going limp as he slumped into unconsciousness.

…..

Kayla watched horrified as her brother was making first contact with the dragon. She walked backwards slowly, the riders' gaze fixed upon Tristan and not paying attention to her.

"No" she whispered as she saw the two cracks on the purple-silver egg becoming thicker. There was a lump in her throat and no matter how hard she swallowed it would not go away. She could feel her heart beating fast inside her chest.

At the edge of her consciousness there was that annoying tingling and she tried to shield herself from it, but with not much luck.

She watched Tristan scream and faint as the small blue reptile curled inside his hand. The human rider rushed to his side while the Urgal watched her closely as she was taking more steps backward and the tapping noise inside the purple egg, increased.

"I do not want this" she whispered both to herself and the riders staring at her, feeling moisture at the edges of her eyes. The dwarf's expression was sympathetic.

"The pain will only last a moment…" he started but Kayla shook her head angrily.

"I don't want any of it!" she shouted furiously, because the riders had misunderstood, thinking she was afraid of the pain.

The pain was the last of her worries actually, as she saw the remaining egg shaking, moving forward and backward faster, and the tingling at the back of her mind intensified. The egg shined brightly for only a moment until the shell broke into a thousand fragments that flew around the confined space. Some of these fragments landed close to her, others missed her face by inches and others sliced her thigh. Unable to move her gaze away, she watched as the dragon was propelled from the explosion and for a moment, she dared hope that the creature would fall to its death, but instead it expanded its silvery wings at the last moment and flew.

She only had a second before the reptile's violet eyes spotted her in the corner and started flying aggressively towards her direction. Kayla shrieked, just as the dragon fell on her hand with such force that her breath caught between her lungs.

The pain was intense, liquid ice running through her veins so quickly, that she didn't have time to process exactly what was happening. But she did not faint. No, she would not give the creature the satisfaction.

Kayla felt the reptile demand entrance into her mind but she would not bend. She gazed darkly at its violet eyes and the creature hissed at her direction. It took a few steps backwards, showing her the sharp array of teeth it bore just as Kayla raised her right hand up and noticed the silver oval marking in her palm.

_Gedwey Ignasia,_ she thought and felt a tightening in her chest, realizing with despair that she could no longer deny it.

_I am a dragon rider,_ she thought to herself and the words left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth.

The silver-purple dragon was at her feet again, parts of membrane still sticking out from its skin, an unappealing sight. She felt the alien entity nudge at her consciousness again and without a second thought she raised her right hand and let out a blast of silver energy towards its direction.

She saw the creature falling backwards and satisfaction coursed through her, just as another wave of pain hit her, ten times stronger than the one before and this time she did faint.

…..

Eragon was standing on top of a tall oak tree, easily extending 25 feet in height. It had strong, big branches and dark green leaves that concealed some of the midday sun. The resemblance it had to the trees in Elesmira was striking. Eragon could hear the river water running from the top of the snowy mountains and he remembered the feeling when he had first tasted it, sweet pure and cold. He was debating whether he should extend the length of the tree branches, as he saw an image flashing in his mind and almost lost his balance. He was far away from Alagaesia, but often if the riders wanted something urgent they would send him an image.

_Saphira…, Did you feel that?_

His dragon was out hunting, catching fish and sharks from the waters near the island while he had been working on the wooden structure.

_Little one_, his dragon said but her thoughts were scattered, trying to make sense of the image they had just seen. Saphira abandoned her lunch to fly back to him and Eragon run to the island's base.

_What do you think it means?,_ he asked her.

His dragon mulled over it.

_I have never seen or heard of anything similar. We need to speak to the riders. Soon,_ Saphira replied, in a very serious and worried tone.

Eragon couldn't agree more and using the ancient language he made himself run faster, as a set of unjustified angry violet eyes pierced into his mind.


	9. Guard yourself against all dangers

**Guard yourself against all dangers **

Tristan woke up just as the midday sun fell on his skin, warming his chilled bones. He was on a very soft bed and he felt as if he was floating on clouds. Momentarily he wondered how his bed felt so soft since usually he woke up with knots all over his lower back, as if he was an old man and he had to turn in weird angles in order to untie them.

Something was licking his face. Had Daisy managed to sneak inside the house again, he wondered but no, the tongue felt rough, almost like a cat's …

He opened one eye and saw grey-blue scales rather than fur. A dragon was sitting on his face, its tiny forked tongue out and Tristan moved back at the edge of the bed, startled. The dragon rolled on its back, making a rumbling sound and Tristan felt thoughts of happiness, amusement and curiosity emitting from the creature.

The events from the previous night rushed into his mind and uncertain he checked his right palm only to find the gedwey ignasia symbol which marked him as a dragon rider. He smiled, widely as he struggled to believe that his biggest dream had come true.

_Being picked as a rider was the hard part. Training should be easy. _

Just then he realised than he was in a rather well kept place, with oak wooden furniture decorating the space and sun streaming from the large window that stood opposite his bed. He felt the dragon's consciousness press into his own and it felt as if he had been blind before and now he could see. The dragon's sensitive senses allowed him to see, hear, taste and feel things with a new perspective. He could hear the buzzing sound of a trapped bee and he could actually see it from up close, even though it was at least 3 meters away, as it kept going around in circles trying to find an opening.

The dragon rolled on its side again, Tristan's attention shifting to it, and he picked it up in both hands realising that it had already grown a few inches. Excitement coursed through both of them as the dragon started playing with his hands, trying to catch them while Tristan was holding them in the air, laughing.

The creature pouted, its two eyes, the colour of onyx looking back at him, and a paw tapping impatiently on the bed. He was momentarily dazed just as the dragon jumped up, reached for his left hand and grabbed it inside its mouth. Tristan felt no pain, however, realising the dragon was careful not to use its sharp teeth when holding onto him.

"Hello you" he said out loud and two clever, mischievous eyes gazed back at him. Tristan put his right hand out and watched as the dragon took delicate steps forward and then rubbed his muzzle against it.

He heard and felt the noise of someone approaching, five minutes before they actually got to his room. Yes, sensing things from the dragon's perspective had its perks.

"Good morning Tristan. We have been waiting for you to wake up for quite some time" the human rider said as she entered his room. The elf rider was next to her, looking deadly serious but calm as always.

"Good morning…. Wait. How do you know my name?" Tristan asked and raised his eyebrows.

"Does it matter? There are more pressing issues to discuss" the elf replied.

"You looked into my mind didn't you?" he replied and made himself appear horrified, while he was trying to contain a smile.

The rider crossed his arms over his chest. Tristan shook his head disapprovingly and tsked.

"This is not cool, man. Not cool." The dragon at his lap shook its head as well and let out a whiff of smoke.

"Look. There are some things we need to discuss…" the elf started again but Tristan cut him mid-sentence.

"One last question. Did you look into my mind while I was sleeping?" he asked and the elf didn't answer just pressed his hands on his temples lightly.

"Mighty seven riders, you did! This is creepy, you know. Very creepy" he added, the dragon pouring happily in his lap.

"ENOUGH!" the human rider said, as her hair seemed to become curlier. Tristan raised his hands in the air and gave her one of his brightest smiles.

She held her fists on her sides and then walked to the elf to whisper something in his ear. The elf nodded and he watched, as the human rider turned around and walked out of the room.

"So ... When are you going to ask her out?" Tristan asked him, while lazily rubbing his dragon's head.

"What are you taking about?" the elf asked, raising his eyebrows in the air, the first facial change Tristan had seen him make.

"Curly brown hair, big shoulders… You don't live forever you know" Tristan added and smiled wildly again.

The elf pressed his lips tightly together.

_This is serious! Stop wasting your time and voice in useless things!_ he bellowed in a dark and rather scary tone into the boy's mind.

Tristan held his head and the dragon wailed. The elf looked satisfied.

"Now that I have your attention… It's time to tell you something about your sister"

"Oh yeah! Has the dragon hatched for her? What colour is the dragon?" Tristan asked, suddenly remembering he hadn't seen her for quite some time and he had fainted before he found out any more information about the situation.

The elf didn't reply for a few seconds. Tristan looked at him and only then did he realise the grave expression the rider bore.

_Kayla…,_ he thought scared and he jumped from the bed, holding his dragon in his arms, his heart beating faster inside his chest.

"My sister… Is she okay?" he asked, his voice slightly shaking in the end.

"I am afraid there have been some… Complications"

….

Kayla woke up in a dark room and the first thing she thought was that she could no longer sense the dragon's presence. She sighed, thankfully. Yet when she concentrated a bit harder, there was this tingling at the edge of her mind, very much resembling the pressing consciousness of another being.

She remembered the events that had occurred yesterday and that very familiar feeling of dread settled over her. As her eyes adjusted to the dark of the room, she noticed that her wrists had thick metal chains around them, the same that were also around her ankles. She tested their power, by pulling her left hand hard but the chain held and she was sure that apart from the strong metal, magic had been involved in their making.

With nothing else to do, she began to study the room around her and wonder who her captors were. The room was rather small with four walls, three made out of grey stone and the fourth made out of tall metal bars with narrow spacing between them. Even if she did manage to break the chains, she doubted she would be able to fit her body between the bars.

The last thing she remembered before she fainted, was the grey-purple reptile and the dragon riders watching her in shock. Yes, she knew exactly who her captors were and her theory was confirmed when the Urgal dragon rider opened a door from the outside of her prison and entered.

He looked weary and solemn, his skin greyer than usual and his horns and talons did not glow when the light fell on them. The rider put his hands in front of his chest and sat down on the ground, so that his eyes were on the same level as hers.

"I have done a lot of thinking over the past few hours and I have realised, amongst other things that we have yet to be introduced properly. I am Stoic, son of Theon who is head of the Kull territory in the East of the dessert" he said.

She debated whether she should reply or not but with nothing to lose she gave him her answer.

"I am Kayla, age fifteen, daughter of Borosson" she replied knowing full well that this was the exact way people were referred to, during the calling of names.

Stoic's brows pulled together.

"Kayla, age fifteen, daughter of Borosson, let me explain the situation to you. You are a clever girl, I can see, and you might have figured this already but still I ought to give you an explanation about our current behaviour. Two days ago there was an attack in Arhan village with many injured and some dead. The city square is all but destroyed. It will take years to rebuild the surrounding buildings, people will not be able to continue their current occupations and it's very possible that some will not even survive the coming winter" the Urgal said and paused.

"Most importantly two eggs were damaged and one was stolen. We still do not know the source of the attack as we have never seen anything like this before but our opponent was strong, as you might recall. He did attack and almost kill you" Stoic said and paused again.

Kayla met his dark eyes, which were surrounded by a yellow exterior.

"I remember. But I didn't expect, you would as well" she said.

"Yes, I have a rather long and good memory but that's not the matter at hand. The day after the attack, two children arrived in our camp, demanding to see the eggs. In my mind I am thinking that you were just unhappy about the attack and had the illusion that by becoming dragon riders you would be able to get revenge on the ones who wronged you. I did not expect the eggs to hatch. The chances for that were incredibly small and your brother had already seen the eggs once. However, suddenly, not one, but two eggs hatch one after the other. I am sure you can sense our confusion" he said and paused, his gaze calculating.

"However, this was nothing compared to what followed soon after. Your brother bonded with the dragon but the events were standard, nothing out of the ordinary… As opposed to you. We have never witnessed or heard of a similar dragon or rider behaviour. And we demand an explanation" the Kull said, his eyes becoming slits and his arm muscles flexing.

She did not know how to respond. Of course she understood the riders' behaviour, but that did not mean she held the answers to their problems.

"There are strong wards around your mind and I do not know how you are able to do this, since you have never been taught the skill. I cannot enter your mind but I would very much like to. I suggest you put the wards down, so I can determine whether you are a threat or not and put the matter at rest" Stoic ended.

Kayla could pretend she didn't know what wards he was talking about but then thought better of it, as she sensed the barriers she had put up, in order not to allow the reptile's consciousness to slip into her own. She had not been taught this skill, that much was true, but she had read many magic books and the introduction to them all was the same.

"Guard yourselves against all dangers" was the chapter's name and as she now was a dragon rider and had magic she had put theory into action. She wasn't sure she wanted to put the barriers down, though, afraid the creature would sneak in.

"Where is the dragon?" she asked Stoic, the third time she had spoken thus far.

The Urgal studied her carefully.

"He is in a safe place, not very close to here" he replied.

She hoped that "not very close" would be at least 20 miles away, as she sighed and let her barriers drop.

Kayla felt the Kull's consciousness as a brush against her own and she winced in displeasure.

She watched him carefully, as he examined her thoughts and a mixture of feelings enveloped him. First confusion, then anger, then horror and finally sorrow.

After he was finished, he retreated into his own mind and when Kayla felt the nudges of the dragon's consciousness she quickly put her barriers up.

"You should have told us, we would have been able to help" Stoic finally said, his expression blanc, a stark contrast to the plethora of emotions he had before.

Kayla laughed, a rather depressed laugh.

"I really doubt you can help me now" she added in a solemn tone.

Once you became a dragon rider you could not go back unless your dragon died, but Kayla was not sure if she could or would kill the dragon. There was also the matter of the dragon riders and she was certain that they would not be too happy if she did this.

"You should have told us the truth from the beginning" the Urgal insisted.

"Would you have given Tristan another chance if it was him alone?" Kayla asked.

Stoic seemed to consider this, before he answered in an honest tone.

"Unlikely" he replied and Kayla nodded expecting nothing less.

"I am assuming there is no way to reverse this, then" she added.

"Not that I know off", the Urgal replied, another honest answer but Kayla's heart twisted.

She thought about her mother, how sudden and baffling the news would be to her, how devastated she would become…

"When are we leaving?" she asked Stoic and the rider got up from his knees and held a key in his hands, the key that no doubt opened the metal chains around her limbs.

"We were supposed to leave today but due to the events that just occurred we had to postpone it. We are leaving tomorrow" he answered and went to unlock the chains.

Kayla's wrists and ankles felt sore and had red markings around them but when dry tears run down her eyes it was not because of this. The Kull stood before her, a towering figure, as she tried to get up. She raised her eyebrows at this, bewildered.

"You might not want to take my advice but at least consider it. Try to communicate with the dragon. You might find yourself enjoying its company" he added, his tone almost gentle.

_Doubtful_, Kayla thought but she did not say so out loud.

"And please, by no means, should you attack the dragon again. You do not know how to control this power yet, despite the impressive barriers you have put around your mind and next time it will kill both you and the dragon" he continued.

She wanted to protest and say that it was the reptile who had attacked her first but she kept her lips firmly shut about that matter.

"Can I go see my mother?" she asked instead, her tone almost pleading.

The Urgal nodded, his arms crossed over his chest.

"It has been arranged for both you and your brother to go back. You will be escorted by two riders of course and you should have enough time to pack your things and…" he was saying but she was not listening any more. When the door to her cell was open she run back home for one last time.

…

Eragon stood near the island's volcano, its molten lava inside, boiling, like a thick rabbit stew above the fire, as flashes of a certain memory entered his mind.

Him standing near the hundreds of eggs below, Saphira on his side as they recited the words of the ancient language together, the flow of magic clear as a summer day…

_Little one… Stop torturing yourself_, his dragon said, sensing his mood change.

_Saphira ….Is there any chance that what we did to the eggs might have caused this?_

His dragon was thoughtful, as she gazed at the never-ending deep blue sea, a colour, close to the ones her scales were.

_We had no other choice, Eragon… You remember Umaroth's warning, don't you? The eggs needed to hatch and quickly_, she replied in his mind as she flew higher into the skies, testing her limits.

_There is always another choice, Saphira. You took more than eight days to hatch for me and you examined my mind every single day. We are giving the dragons less than a minute to decide on their rider. Is it possible that they might have been wrong?_

_Possibly but if this is the case the repercussions of this would be … _

_Devastating? _Eragon added in a rather depressed tone.

Saphira said nothing but he could feel that she was flying fast between the clouds trying to lose herself between them.

As Eragon pressed his head between his hands, a certain thought repeated in his mind, again and again.

_One minute is not long enough and the dragon might just have hatched for the wrong rider. Arya, you were right._

**What do you guys think of the story so far? Do you like the pace? Any characters you would like to see more/less of ? Review, follow/fav and let me know :).**


	10. Farewell and good night

**Farewell and good night**

Her mother stood in front of the house, a smile playing on her face. To someone who did not know her well, she would appear excited and even happy but Kayla noticed the red around her eyes, her bitten fingernails.

"This is going to be so great for you both! Tristan always wanted to be a dragon rider and I know how much you love to read books, the island should be full of those! And you will get to meet other people and might even acquire some new friends!" her mother said but her voice rose in an unnaturally high pitch at the end of the sentence, the smile she had on, obviously fake. Kayla wondered when she would see her mother again.

She knew Tristan had tried to reason with the riders and asked if they could bring their mother with them but the riders had declined. Again, their answer made perfect sense to her, although she hated to admit it. They could not bring to the island everyone's family members and they would not make exceptions.

Yes, everyone said the lands were safe, yes there would be food for the winter, yes they said they would take care of her, but they did not know.

_Mom, there is something I have to tell you… Something about father...Don't go too near to the Spine…_

"Excited Kayla?" her mother asked, oblivious to her trail of thoughts.

"Very"

….

"Daisy, my lovely goat. You have no idea how much I will miss you" Tristan said as he rubbed the animal's chin and she behd, satisfied.

"You could always take her with you, you know" Buster commented and Tristan raised his eyebrow at that.

"For some reason I doubt Daisy and the dragon would get along very well. You know, since dragons tend to feast on goats" Tristan said and snorted.

He left Dairy to her business and turned around to look at his two friends, Grion tall and proud and Buster small and timid.

"Take care of her for me, if you can. She is a good dragon substitute. Don't go too near to the Spine and not too deep in the forest. And Grion… Would you be able to check on my mother every so often?" Tristan asked and wished his friend's answer to be yes.

Grion snorted.

"Don't be stupid. Of course, I will. Just keep sending me you dragon's baby teeth or something and once I sell them, there will be more than enough golds and silvers to keep your mother going" his friend commented.

Tristan smiled, happy and proud to have such good friends and pressed his chest close to Grion's, while holding their fists together. They did not embrace, they did not need to. He then run his hand through Buster's hair and for once the boy did not pull back and just looked at him with his big brown eyes, ready to cry.

"Don't let your mother boss you around too much. You are a man now, you have turned 14" he said and smiled. The boy nodded and shook his head in acknowledgement, while Grion had his hand crossed over his chest but he was struggling not to let the emotions overtake him.

It was time to go, he knew, but he felt a tightness in his chest when he thought of leaving. In his mind he had always pictured the dragon egg hatching but never the part where he would say goodbye.

He sighed, rubbing Daisy's ears one more time and he turned to walk inside the house as there was one more person he had to see.

"Mom, look what I got for you" he said and showed her the blue-grey fragments of the egg, as he entered their small house. He had tried to retrieve pieces from Kayla's dragon egg, as well, but all that remained of them was sand. His mother smiled politely but didn't seem that excited about the fragments and she was gazing every so often at his sister. Kayla was standing in the corner of the room and when she saw him she nodded in acknowledgement and walked outside, giving them some privacy.

"How proud your father would be!" his mother commented, her smile wide, her eyes red. Tristan nodded, feeling a lump in his throat.

He walked to her side and hugged her tightly. Tristan remembered the time when he was no taller than her hips but now he was taller by a head at least and she looked small.

"Don't go too near to the Spine, mother. Take care of the animals, they should be more than enough to provide for you and whatever you have left, sell in the market. Grion will bring you supplies once so often as his father gets the best picks of meat" he said but at his comment his mother suddenly seemed angry.

"I don't want anyone's charity" she said in an almost offended tone.

"Mother, it's not charity. You are left with no husband and no children to take care of you and the winter is coming and it will be long and cold. There is no crime in accepting any help that you can get and Grion will be making money from our deal as well" Tristan explained and showed her the dragon's shell once again. This time his mother did pay attention and looked at the intricate design and colour.

"Is that your dragon's colour?" she said out loud, a smile playing at the edges of her mouth, one that looked genuine.

Tristan nodded, proud.

"Yes, he is a dark blue, silver colour, He is magnificent, mother. Would you like to see?" he asked her and his mother nodded. He opened the door and his dragon walked inside, tentatively and smelling everything, excited.

"Can I touch him?" his mother asked and Tristan nodded. He spoke to the dragon's consciousness and told him to be nice but the dragon had already walked to his mother side and was jumping up and down. His mother gave him a chicken bone and the dragon looked ecstatic. When she tried to stroke him however he pulled back and went to stand next to Tristan.

His mother sighed and smiled happily.

"He is very handsome and I am sure he will take good care of you and you of him. Has Kayla brought her dragon as well?" she asked and went to gaze outside of the window but Tristan knew that only his sister and the two dragon riders were present.

"No, it had to stay back. Mother, I will miss you" Tristan commented and his mother hugged him tightly once again, but she seemed to be considering something and bit her lip.

"Tristan, I know this is what you want but promise me one thing. Watch over your sister. You are light, you have always been light but sometimes she can be dark. Don't let her go" she said suddenly in a very serious, mature tone.

Bewildered, Tristan still nodded and exited his childhood home, memories dancing at his mind's edges, making his dragon gloomy and content at the same time.

…

They started their journey early in the next morning just as the sun was rising. The sensible thing would have been to travel on dragon-back but as there were two more riders that needed to be picked up, the elf and the human had set of to go retrieve them, while the rest of them travelled on foot. There was also the matter of the dragon eggs and it was not safe for them to be on dragon's back in case of an attack. If indeed there was an attack and the eggs were down below the dragons would be free to manoeuvre and fight the invaders which would not have been possible if they were carrying the eggs. The magicians and the soldiers had been left behind as too many people would attract unwanted attention and slow them down.

The two big dragons patrolled the skies to sense incoming dangers and the hatchlings and remaining riders were walking. They had been lucky about the weather as it had been another clear summer day and that allowed them to transverse the land quicker.

The purple dragon was in a wooden cage and it did not look happy. It had twice the size of his own and everyone could see that the creature was growing extremely fast as if a spell had been cast on it. From what he had heard from the riders, as soon as his sister was put in a cage the dragon had gone ballistic. It kept attacking everyone and no one dared to come too close. They had all agreed that the dragon could not be kept loose. The dwarven dragon rider had been picked to put the purple into the cage but now his usually trimmed, long, red beard stood in shreds.

Indeed, the dragon looked rabid as he was gnawing on the wooden bars, furiously, hissing and growling at anyone who came any closer than 6 feet away and had even tried to blow whiffs of fire but only smoke emerged from his strong jaws. His nails had also scraped the inside of the wooden cage and there wasn't a single spot where the wood was smooth. Tristan did not doubt that if the dragon continued at it he would soon get out.

He had to wonder if he had falsely accused his sister. As soon as he heard what had happened he had confronted her, calling her heartless but as he looked at the dragon once again he was not sure who was in the wrong.

Tristan run his hands over his dragon's back who was sitting on his shoulder and was thankful that the creature was not attacking him. The dragon was calm now, pouring but at the beginning of the trip, with purple causing havoc, he had been agitated. Tristan's dragon was male from what the riders had told him and he was thinking of possible names, while looking at the clear blue skies and the green land that extended ahead of them, when his sister approached him.

They had not spoken since the fight.

"She is not going to survive without us. Worry will kill her before winter does" Kayla said as she walked next to him. The Urgal rider was in front of them and the dwarf in the back, watching over the eggs and the purple dragon as they had both been put in the carriage and a black, muscled horse was carrying it.

He did not like his sister's words and hoped she wasn't right. He still hated that the dragon riders had declined bringing his mother to their community.

_She would have been safer there…_

Tristan felt his dragon's consciousness nudge his own and he watched as the dragon made attempts to fly. He gave up quickly, however, as a bee circling a yellow flower had sparked his interest.

The dragon was jumping up and down trying to catch the bee and was very irritated when he couldn't get to it. He was chasing it around and run to Tristan's knees when the bee decided to fly up and sting him on the shoulder.

Tristan yelled, startled, feeling the bee's sting sink deep inside his flesh and the poison spreading. The bee fell on the ground, its intestines sprawled on the green grass. It tried to move for a few minutes, struggling to change its fate but it died regardless.

"I thought dragon riders did not get bitten by bees. This is unfair. I think someone should change the rules" Tristan commented and shook his head to the Kull and Kayla who had rushed to his side.

"We are not above nature, we are one with nature. Remember this, both of you" Stoic said, his tone solemn.

"Why is everyone so serious? I am the one in pain, here" Tristan commented and smiled, his dragon at his side licking his wound. The Urgal shook his head, annoyed, obviously not used to his sense of humour yet.

"Waise heill, Be healed!" he whispered instead, the sparks of magic flying from his hand and landing on Tristan's wound.

After this their journey was uneventful and they were steadily approaching Dras Leona, which was the meeting point with the other four riders. On their third night, they stopped near a hill where not much life was present and set camp. His dragon had just eaten a fox while the purple was devouring everything that was given to it. The dragons were not of a similar size, with the purple being slightly bigger than his own.

Tristan had thought of a vast array of names for his dragon but nothing seemed to do the trick, just yet. He was also worried that his dragon was not flying and was instead walking everywhere but the riders had reassured him that sometimes it took dragons more than a week to fly.

Tristan was lying inside a tent, the dragon's breath warming his skin from the night's chill. He could hear the riders talking as they had been set the task of keeping watch. His sister was sleeping in another tent and he could hear the purple's wails but he tried to ignore them as he had done so in previous nights.

Suddenly all noises were silenced, even his heartbeat and breath and a feeling of dread was settling over him. Cold sweat was running down his brow and suddenly his dragon jumped up and hissed.

He moved slowly and gazed outside of his tent just as a gigantic dark creature was approaching the carriage where the eggs and the purple were. A dark brown dragon attacked the creature before it was able to get to them and the two riders were already in alert.

"Garjzla. Light!" the dwarven rider shouted as bright light exploded from his hands and the dark creature hissed as another one of its kin approached their camp. Without a second thought Tristan picked up a sword from near his tent. His heart was beating very fast, its sound echoing in his ears and adrenaline was rushing to his limbs. His dragon stood next to him, teeth bared.

The Urgal rider jumped on his dragon, quick and started landing blows on the dark creature but it seemed as if they didn't have much effect. The dwarf's dragon fell from the skies just then, viciously attacking the other creature. He saw fire blazing from its jaw and setting almost everything alight.

"It's a shadow wyrm!" the Kull shouted and kept attacking the creature. Every time dragon and wyrm met the earth shook as if an earthquake was taking place.

Tristan wasn't sure what to do as there was no enemy to fight left for him and even if he did, he doubted his skills would be good enough or his dragon large enough to match the shadow wyrm's advances.

Instead he decided to find his sister and try to protect the dragon eggs but as soon as he reached the place where they had put the carriage, he realised with horror that it and her was gone.


	11. A new moon

**A New Moon**

Kayla had her leather pouch covering her ears struggling to drown the annoying tingling at the edge of her consciousness. Three days they had been on the road and she had not slept more than 5 hours in total. It wasn't just the consciousness of the reptile that was driving her insane but also its constant wailings throughout the night.

The animal was rabid, that she knew, and even if her brother and the riders said otherwise, they did not understand. She sighed annoyed as she tried to put the pouch at the back of her head, like a pillow. Sweat was running down the hollows of her back even though there was a chill in the night.

She tried to put her barriers higher up but the stupid reptile still managed to get inside, although not completely. Kayla breathed loudly and then suddenly felt her heart stop, the hairs on her arms rising.

The purple dragon wailed and nudged at her consciousness, an almost blurry image reaching her but she ignored it.

_Stop it!,_ she shouted angrily in her mind not sure if the creature understood or not but it did stop.

Silence prevailed, a silence that was unnatural, a silence that was eerie and rather horrifying.

_Blood. Crunch. Bones._

The air returned to her lungs and she shook her head angrily trying to clear it from all thoughts. No, this was not the time to remember.

She heard a loud noise outside and the purple dragon let out another scream. Her temples burned. She walked outside of her tent and saw a creature, the same one that had attacked them in the Brasungr festival descending quickly towards their camp.

"Shadow wyrm!" someone shouted and the word felt familiar as she remembered reading something about it in one of the books. The creature had another name which evaded her but she knew it was connected to dark magic…

_Bones. Blood. Crunch__._

What was happening?

She shivered and thought of running away and hiding, but she knew that this would only make her a moving target.

Just then she saw a dark humanoid figure approaching the eggs and purple. It was stealing the eggs and the riders had no idea, busy trying to fight off the shadow wyrms. Purple wailed trying to send her another distorted image but she blocked it.

Kayla watched as the figure slit the throat of the black horse so quickly, that the animal didn't even have time to yell and then the carriage rose in the air and quickly started moving into the night. She followed closely behind, trying not to alert the creature of her presence.

She felt purple's fury once again trying to break through her defenses and for a second an idea sprung into her mind, an idea she wasn't very proud of thinking.

The creature wanted to take the eggs and purple, probably somewhere far away, where her connection with purple would be all but non-existent. Maybe the creature would even kill purple and then she would be free, all her problems gone.

Should she just let it go?

The carriage and creature were already lost from her sight, most likely deep inside the forest, but she could still feel purple's presence. If it died it wouldn't be her fault.

Feelings of danger, rage and wildness emitted from the dragon as well as something else.

Something like… Terror? Betrayal?

Her heart clutched inside her chest and when she heard purple's wails again she made her choice.

_Just leave me alone!, _she shouted with such force into the creature's mind that suddenly all was silent.

Satisfied, Kayla continued forward, deeper into the forest following the trail of broken trees that had been left behind. The humanoid creature and the carriage were moving fast, true, but she had always loved the feeling of running. She sprung into the night, the cold wind blowing on her face, numbing her cheeks and managed to catch up with them just as they paused near a fast flowing river.

The humanoid creature heard her approaching and hissed, just as purple was struggling to break the wooden bars of its cage. The creature gazed at her, the hairs on her arms rising, but she could only see its red eyes behind the dark cloak and nothing else.

"How curious to see one such as you here" it whispered and let out a terrifying laugh.

_Bones. Blood. Crunch._

_Don't think about it! Not now!,_ she screamed at herself but the creature was saying something quick under its breath, dark magic springing forth and she felt as if her insides were boiling. Tears reached her eyes and she wanted to scream but couldn't. The dragon wailed.

"You should not have followed me" the creature hissed and just as Kayla felt her strength abandoning her, everything she was and wanted to be, starting to fade into nothingness, she heard a loud noise and saw woods and splinters falling on the creature just as the dragon attacked the thief.

Purple growled, its teeth bare and the creature started circling the dragon cautiously as sparks of dark magic attacked it. She felt too weak to pay the right amount of attention, but she could hear the noises of fighting and could feel purple's emotions as if they were her own, terror and a fierce need to protect. Every time a blow landed on purple she winced.

Suddenly purple was on the ground, smoke rising from its nostrils, as it tried to desperately move away from the knife's sharp edge that the creature was pushing against its throat.

She felt the dragon's helplessness, and rage rose inside her like nothing else before. The reptile would die if she did nothing. Kayla remembered Stoic's warning but at the moment she had no other choice.

"Risa!" she shouted, her right hand extended, the Gedwey Ignasia symbol glowing like the stars as the water from the river that flowed only a few meters away from her, rose.

Her temples were on fire, her hand was shaking, her limbs felt dead but the water rose to take the shape of a giant dragon and it crushed on the humanoid creature with such force that the earth momentarily shook.

Kayla saw the creature falling on the ground, the dragon flying above it as it viciously attacked and pecked its eyes, snarling noises emitting from it. If the force of the water had not killed the creature she was certain the reptile would.

She lay on the wet ground, water still flowing in the river, looking at the sky above her, as the new moon was hiding between grey-blue clouds. She felt lethargic, her heart beating slowly, as if every beat was a struggle.

Momentarily she saw the clouds parting and light from the moon fell on her as the purple dragon was walking towards her.

Purple?

How blind she had been! The dragon was not purple but something far more beautiful, having a unique colour she could not exactly describe. Its eyes were violet and its body was a greyish-amethyst colour, its wings like liquid silver that sparkled brightly in the moon's light

There was no more energy left in her to keep her mind's barriers up and the dragon's consciousness easily slipped into her own, emotions of concern and affection radiating from it.

_Blood. Protect._

It gently touched with its muzzle her right hand, a serious expression on its face.

_Protect,_ her dragon whispered into her mind just as blackness enveloped her.

**Don't forget to tell me what you think of this chapter and follow/fav, I promise it will only take a minute :p! Also are shorter and more frequent chapters better than longer and less frequent ones? Thanks for reading ****!**


	12. A High Cost

**A High Cost**

"The eggs are gone!" Tristan shouted loudly, hoping that the riders had heard him but they were high in the skies fighting the shadow wyrms. He felt agitated as adrenaline was moving fast inside his veins but he could do nothing to help.

The Urgal rider and his brown dragon fell from above as they were chasing one of the shadow wyrms which was steadily approaching Tristan. Just as a jet of dark liquid shot from the wyrm's mouth, he ducked to the side, pushing his dragon with him. Bright fire came out, rushing from the skies and Tristan almost got his elbow burned. He swore loudly just as Stoic landed a blow on the wyrm's chest, the liquid spilling all over the place, burning everything to ashes.

Tristan covered himself and his dragon with the material from the tent but holes started spreading quickly inside it.

"Blothr. Stop" the Kull rider shouted as he jumped from his dragon's back onto the ground and the liquid from the wyrm seemed to disappear. His brown dragon rose into the sky chasing the remaining shadow wyrm with the help of the dwarven rider.

"It was a distraction!" Stoic roared, cursing loudly under his breath and spitting blood on the ground, realising that the dragon eggs were missing.

Tristan went to say something but then heard a noise from above and looked up to see the remaining wyrm falling with an incredibly fast speed to the where he was. His dragon wailed, thoughts of alarm and helplessness radiating from it and then sternness. Its silvery wings opened, flapping steadily on the ground and the dragon rose up, flying to Tristan's direction.

With its sharp talons it grabbed Tristan's shoulder and pushed him further away, just as the wyrm's jaws brushed his leather boots. The dwarven rider delivered the killing blow but Stoic had already said the words of the ancient language to stop the liquid from spreading around.

As his blue dragon gently put him on the ground Tristan could feel satisfaction coursing through the bond and proudly he rubbed the dragon's head as it was still flying in the air. His shoulders hurt from where the dragon had accidentally sliced him but he ignored them and went to examine the creature that now lay dead in front of him.

"What is this?" he asked silently the riders and his dragon snarled.

"Sundavrlaka… I hate those things!" the dwarf said and spit on the ground.

"I told you Melor! We should have brought the magicians and the elves with us!" the Urgal shouted and tapped his foot on the ground, looking sternly at the other rider.

"The magicians and the elves were weary, their energy reserves drained and they had to look after the injured in the Arhan village. If we had brought them with us they would have died" Melor's answer was and scratched whatever remained of his red beard.

"But now the eggs are missing, our dragons are injured…" the Urgal started saying but Tristan stopped him.

"Kayla is missing as well" he said in a solemn tone.

Both riders turned their attention to him. Melor smiled.

"I don't think that's something to be happy about… Sure, maybe a month ago I would have been ecstatic but…" Tristan started saying but the Urgal stopped him.

"It's very possible that your sister is with the eggs right at this moment. If we can find her, we can find the eggs" he said and both riders closed their eyes, in concentration.

After only a few seconds they snapped them open.

"I can feel the remnants of dark magic, they are close" Stoic said and let out a deep breath.

"Have you ever flown before, boy?" Melor asked him, his expression curious. Tristan rose his eyebrows.

"Flown? I don't think …" he started, bewildered but was cut mid-sentence as Melor's dragon spoke into his mind.

_Young one, get on my back. You may call me Gijnard_, the dragon said, his colour a light brown with orange highlights and his voice, deep and throaty. As peculiar as that was, it was the first time he had had direct contact with an older dragon and he was momentarily stunned. His own dragon, nudged his shoulder, as it was flying excited all around, happy with its newfound ability.

_Thank you, Gijnard_, he replied in the older dragon's mind not certain if he was acknowledging him properly.

"I cannot sense her entirely but I think I know where she might be" the Kull said and jumped onto his own dragon without further due. Tristan sat just behind Melor and his grey-blue dragon followed them as they rose into the skies. In other circumstances he might have enjoyed the experience, but his nerves were as tight as strings, scared for the eggs, scared for his sister.

_There, do you see?,_ the Urgal rider asked, speaking in their minds and pointing at a cloud of water.

_What is it_?, Melor asked and descended cautiously.

_Let's find out._

Tristan was still alarmed, hoping that nothing bad had befallen his sister or the eggs so he resisted the urge to make a joke about hearing voices in his head. Even though he had been three days with the riders, most of this time he had spent with his own dragon and was pleasantly surprised to be suddenly included in the group.

As the dragons landed carefully on the wet ground the riders jumped easily from their back and landed on their feet. Tristan tried to copy what they had done but failed and instead landed on his palms and knees.

Mud covered his hands and he noticed that the ground was wet.

His left palm with the Gedwey Ignasia symbol tingled, as they started steadily approaching the place they had seen from above.

Instinct told him to be careful and silent, but then his breath caught between his lungs as he saw his sister lying still, next to a dark blue fast-running river.

"Kayla!" he shouted and went to run to her side but the Urgal rider rose a hand in the air.

"Wait, it's not safe!" he shouted at him and pointed at the dark, hooded figure that also lay still close to the river.

The Urgal approached slowly and then nudged the figure with his sword but it did not move. He turned the figure around and swore.

_Check on the girl_, Stoic told them both as he went to examine the creature more closely.

Tristan run to his sister's side but just before he got to her, he noticed the purple dragon curled inside her hand. When it sensed their presence, it got up and hissed.

His grey-blue dragon stepped in front of Tristan and curled its lips upwards, showing the sharp array of white teeth.

_We mean no harm_, the dwarven rider said and spoke to everyone's mind. Purple seemed to consider this and then let Melor examine Kayla, while still sitting near her. Tristan knelt to her side.

Her hair was plastered to her forehead, her skin was pale-white and he could not see her chest rising. His heart tightened inside his chest, as he gently moved her blonde hair back.

He watched as Melor touched her wrists and throat to check for a heart-beat but Tristan could tell that the dwarf had not felt any change.

"She is not…" Tristan begun to say unable to finish the sentence as he choked on the word dead at the end, moisture clouding his vision.

"No. Not yet at least" the rider replied and took a deep breath, closed his eyes and his brows were pulled together in concentration.

"Waise heill. Be healed!" he said under his breath and he kept repeating the word until his left hand glowed silver.

Tristan watched the dwarf trying to heal Kayla, as once again he was feeling hopeless.

He had thought that becoming a dragon rider would make him overcome certain obstacles but he realised that he had done nothing to help against the attack tonight. He felt his dragon's head prodding against his ribs and thoughts of calmness and reassurance enveloped him.

When he saw his sister's chest rising, he let out a sigh of relief. The purple dragon went to stand next to her once more and the dwarf sat back against the ground, looking exhausted.

"I knew it. I should have expected it with the appearance of the shadow wyrms" the Urgal said fuming as he approached them and shook his head angrily.

"Shade?" Melor asked, taking a deep drink of water from his water-skin.

Stoic nodded.

"A young one as well. Couldn't have been more than a week's old" he said in disgust.

Tristan looked back to where the body of the creature, the Shade, stood. Indeed the Shade very much resembled a young human boy if not for the slightly red hair and eyes and the extremely pale skin.

"Is he dead?" Tristan asked and Stoic nodded.

"The dragon sliced his chest open and shred its heart to pieces" he replied and as Tristan looked behind him once more, he saw what he had missed before. Even though the Shade's face was mostly intact, its upper body was non-existent. Blood, gut, entrails and other things Tristan did not want to think about were splattered on the wet ground.

"Do you think he turned himself and was a sorcerer before?" Tristan asked but both riders shook their heads.

"Doubtful. For shadow wyrms to be summoned you would have needed an experienced sorcerer or Shade and he was but a youngling turned. Look at his eyes, hair, skin colour and build? They are still not completely red, his skin still holds the signs of sun and there is baby fat under his chin and cheeks. No, the boy was but a pawn and I am afraid something else is holding the reigns" the Urgal rider said, his brows pulled together.

"I do not like this. Too many Shades and dark forces are gathering" the dwarf replied, some of the colour returning to his cheeks , a sign of resentment and no doubt of the drink he was holding in his hand which smelled alcoholic.

Stoic nodded and walked to gather the eggs. The rider cursed loudly as he noticed something, the dragons present suddenly becoming agitated and growling.

Tristan stood up to see what the commotion was about and noticed that the two eggs that had been damaged in the last attack, now stood broken in pieces and the creatures they harboured inside, dead.

A feeling of anger, helplessness and disgust rose inside him, both his own and his dragon and he puked on the side.

"How could someone do this?" he shouted, angrily just as his dragon went to examine the dead dragons' bodies, gently sniffing them.

Melor sighed.

"I thought dragon eggs were indestructible" Tristan commented, infuriated.

"Not from everything, that is. Although I doubt the Shade wanted to damage them. Dragon eggs are a lot more precious intact… But I do not doubt his dark magic played a role, even if by accident" the rider said and exhaled loudly as well.

There was a deep sorrow in the dwarf's eyes and he got up and went to stand next to the two eggs.

He recited some unknown words in his deep, baritone voice and a single tear run down his red cheeks. His orange dragon blew fire on the Shade and the dead hatchlings and the riders watched silently as the smoke rose high, burning away the injustice and sorrow. Warmth reached Tristan's cheek, uncontrollable tears running down his cheek and his blue dragon flew to his shoulder to lick them away.


	13. Dras Leona

**Dras Leona**

"Dras Leona is three days away on foot but I do not want to risk it. Our dragons are tired but I would feel safer if we rode them to the city and then rested once we met with the other riders. We should be able to get to the city before dark" Melor said, his expression thoughtful, as he looked at the rising sun on the east.

Arhan village was only a little ways south of Teirm but it was still a week's trip on foot to Dras Leona. Flying on dragon-back after the events that had occurred, did indeed sound like a better alternative to Tristan. For some reason he felt a lot safer being on dragon-back. However, he was a little bit disappointed as he had never seen Leona Lake from up close and flying would rob him of the chance to swim in its clear blue waters.

The grey-blue dragon next to him squeaked in amusement. They had yet to communicate with words but emotions and images were just as good and Tristan saw the blurred outline of an island. He laughed, earning the bewildered look of Melor as he settled on Gijnard's back and shook his head.

_You are right, we are going to an island. There should be more than enough water there!,_ he told the dragon and then realised he had yet to name it. He repeated some names to the grey-blue creature but it was not interested in any of them so it settled on his shoulder and closed its eyes.

Kayla was still unconscious and so they had to strap her on Stoic's dragon. Someone suggested building another cage for purple but the dragon was behaving itself, silent most of the times and always near his sister so they quickly turned down this thought.

Before midday Tristan could already see the Lake ahead of them. He kneeled at the edge of Gijnard's back, careful not to injure himself against the dragon's sharp orange thorns, in order to get a closer look at it. Its waters seemed to extend for miles and they were crystal clear and calm, very much resembling a mirror. Tristan looked down and saw himself and the dragons reflected. The image was blurry but his hair looked longer, his skin browner, his body lean and muscled, his ears looked pointy… Bewildered, he looked away from the distorted image.

When the sun started lowering on the horizon, Tristan could feel the dragons reducing their speed, their breath coming out louder and each flap of their wings seemed to be a struggle.

_Less than twenty miles away is the Lake's edge. Dras Leona is only a few minutes ride after that. We are almost there_, the Urgal said encouragingly in all their minds.

Tristan did not doubt that if the dragons had not fought the previous night and were carrying less weight they would not have tired so quickly. When he saw Leona Lake's shores he let out a sigh of relief. They continued a few miles after the shores until they saw the city's walls coming into view and they descended on a flat green surface. From there on, it was only a few minutes' walk until they reached Dras Leona's gates. The guards acknowledged the riders without a second glance and they casually walked in from the main gates.

What Tristan saw inside was completely different to anything he had expected. He had never visited a city, true, but this place seemed to be teeming with people running around, going about their business, selling, entertaining, laughing and crying.

There was a stand in front of him with bread sticks being sold and he saw a small boy trying to grab one. He watched patiently as the boy hid around the corner, as less visible as possible and then like a snake, attacked by extending its hand and grabbing the bread stick. By the time the man behind the table stand noticed the missing bread stick the boy was lost from their sight.

"Is there a celebration happening or something?" Tristan couldn't help but ask just as a magician stood in front of him and blew fire from his mouth. The fire disintegrated into smoke but the smoke stood in the air a little bit longer than expected and he realised that there was a message written.

_Tonight. 7. City square. Prepare to be amazed. _

The smoke blew from his view and the dwarven rider coughed.

"It is the continuation of the Brasungr festival but there are always celebrations and markets around such a large city" the dwarf answered and as Tristan looked around him, he realized it was true.

The city was massive. It must have been at least ten times bigger than his village. The walls stood high, concealing the outside world and encircling the tall white-okra buildings. As he was walking further inside he realised that the planning of Dras Leona very much resembled a labyrinth. The difference was, though, that if you followed the main road and went towards your right you would slowly approach the centre whereas if you went from your left you would go towards the outside. There were smaller roads going straight through the circle rather than around it, but Tristan wasn't sure he wanted to walk these roads alone as he was afraid he would get lost. With the help of the riders and their dragons, however, they managed to move quickly in a straight line as people moved back to make room for them. He often heard the riders being praised, names of riders he knew and didn't know being called.

"Greet the new riders!" someone shouted and blew another whiff of that fire-smoke thing that left a message in the air before it disappeared.

"What is this? Can you teach me how to do this?" Tristan asked excited and turned to the closest person next to him.

Unfortunately it was the Urgal who looked at him through slit yellow eyes, his pointy teeth slightly protruding from his lips.

Melor let out a deep throaty laugh. Tristan hadn't heard him laugh since they found the two dragon eggs destroyed.

"It's a storytelling of sorts but far more interesting, which occurs in the city square near sundown. The "magicians" here with the fire messages are no more than witches or wizards. The fire message is a simple enough trick to do if you have the right means and wizards are the masters of trickery" he finished.

Curiosity emitted from his dragon through their bond as he lazily walked and flew to his side. He gently nudged Tristan's shoulder and he turned to Melor.

"Can we go?" he asked, not sure if he would be granted something like this. The dwarf went to say something but Stoic shook his head angrily, his dragon blowing whiffs of smoke.

"How young and naïve you are! Haven't you been taught anything?" the Urgal asked in a furious tone and his eyebrows pulled together.

"I thought that once we were inside the city we would be safer…" he started but the rider cut him mid-sentence. He grabbed him by his shoulders and pushed him to a nearby wall. Tristan's grey-blue dragon stood next to him, hissing and Melor put a restraining hand in front of the boy's face.

"We are dragon riders. We are never safe! You would do well to remember that!" the Kull shouted one more time, his ram horns looking as if they could crush Tristan's skull just by a single nudge. The boy nodded, slightly perplexed and annoyed, and then the rider released him and he almost dropped to the ground.

His dragon run to his side, licking his shoulder in a calm demeanour and he watched silently as Stoic walked further ahead.

Melor helped him up.

"I am sorry boy. This trip has taken a harder toll than anticipated and we are all on edge. Stoic is right, however. We are not safe"


	14. Dragon Games

**A/N: This chapter is more a continuation of the previous one as I did not want to post something too long. Thanks for the great reviews and your support and if you have any comments good/bad feel free to post them as a review or pm me and I will reply :)! **

**Dragon Games**

When they reached the city centre where the palace stood Tristan was in a fool mood. Tall pine trees circled the building in front of them, exotic colourful flowers and bushes grew in and around, and the palace itself was a place of beauty. Despite himself he let out a whistle of appreciation. The gates of the palace opened in order to greet them and they passed structures much taller than the dragons until they reached the centre which was an open garden. Again, Tristan realised the architecture of the palace was one of a circle, with buildings built all around to give way to the open yard.

Individual structures were also built to accommodate dragons-no more than ten-and there were stables for steeds and mounts. Already two dragons stood inside those structures, happily gulping down water. As soon as they heard them approaching, the elder dragons paused and walked forward. They stared at the group no doubt examining the wounds of the other two dragons and growled loudly when they stared at the three eggs that were strapped on Gijnard's back.

"Hellsfire!" the female human rider bellowed as she run to Melor's side and gently touched his dragon's scales which were damaged and dirty. The elven rider watched carefully and he pressed his lips tightly together.

Stoic and Melor unstrapped Kayla from the other dragon's back and the human rider took the eggs gently in her lap, tears running down her face. The elf put a comforting hand on her shoulder and then walked to Kayla's side. Tristan approached them as well, his blue dragon sniffing the air inquiringly.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" he dared ask, as he gazed at the still form of his sister.

The elf knelt on the ground and touched Kayla's brow. He was deep in concentration for a long time until he exhaled loudly and opened his eyes.

"She is alive but… I do not know when she will wake. The magic she used took quite a hard toll on her body. We warned her about the consequences but she did not listen" he said and pressed his lips even tighter together than before. The purple dragon let out a small wail and gently nudged its head against Kayla's hipbones.

"At least _that_ has improved" the elf commented as a group of magicians and other elves came to carry his sister, taking her to a nearby wooden structure in the middle of the garden. The elven and human rider stood next to the injured dragons and started reciting words of the ancient language together. Holes in the wing membranes of the dragons healed, the skin stitching itself back together and cuts were dried blood stood, were wiped clean. Soon Gijnard and Stoic's dragon were as good as new and they walked inside their individual structures where water and roast meat stood.

The aroma of the food reached Tristan's nose and he heard his stomach growling. He watched as the two dragons devoured the cuts of meat, bones, skin and ligaments disappearing from his view. His grey-blue dragon sniffed, hunger radiating from it and its tongue was pulled out on the side.

The riders walked close to a water fountain in the centre of the garden and they sat on the green, cool ground, resting their backs and washing their faces on the cold water. Tristan repeated what they had done but his dragon slipped from the fountain's edge and fell inside the water. Amusement radiated from it and it jumped out of the water, shaking its wings and spraying everyone with water droplets.

Tristan smiled and rubbed his dragon's chin, a purring sound emitting from it and the creature half closed its eyes.

"Is this you dragon?" a small voice came from behind and Tristan turned around to look who it was. A young dwarven boy stood, no more than 14 years of age. He reached Tristan's waist in height and he had bright ginger hair. His cheeks were round and red and some ginger fluff covered the sides. He had a clever expression fixed upon his face.

"Yes, yes it is" Tristan replied proudly and rubbed his dragon's belly once again as the creature emitted more pouring sounds.

"My dragon, Fiord is there in the corner" the dwarf boy said pointing at an orange dragon, four times the size of Tristan's who sat near the fountain, drinking water. "Your dragon is beautiful. Isn't his colour similar to Saphira's? How you do call him?"

"I wouldn't know, I have never seen the elder dragon. And as for a name I have yet to come up with something suitable. Besides he is still young and doesn't like sharing his opinion with words just yet" Tristan replied and tsked. His dragon rolled on the side and shot him a perplexed look.

The dwarf laughed.

"Neither have I, but rumours and stories travel. As for a name I am sure you will find something. What is yours?"

"I am Tristan. And you are…?"

"I am Rikon Sulfurcarver" the boy replied and Tristan took an instant liking to him.

Twilight had already approached and the palace's servants set table stands and chairs in the middle of the garden. Soon, the aroma of fresh and cooked food reached Tristan's nose and his stomach growled despite himself. He had been sited between Rikon and his grey-blue dragon and when the first cold cuts of meat arrived, the dragons snatched them before the boys even had a chance to look at them. They shared glances and started laughing.

More food was served and this time the dragons gave them the chance to eat first. As soon as Tristan went to grab a stuffed pigeon pie he saw a purple blur descending and the food disappeared from his hands only to appear into purple's talons.

"Tskk. Manners, dragons, manners. What will the fair ladies think of us?" he said and smiled, feeling almost content. He had not forgotten of his sister, who was unconscious or his mother who probably sat alone in their cottage watching the fire flames or the two young dragons who had died for naught but for a moment he allowed himself not to worry.

While he was happily spooning big mouthfuls of some mushroom stew, chatting with Rikon about their adventures and how the dragons had hatched for them, he saw another figure approaching. Tristan could not exactly place the race or the age of the man. He probably extended six feet in height but his body was lean as an elf's apart from maybe his shoulders which were slightly bigger. He had horns above his ears but by no means did they look like an Urgal's. Urgals had ram's horns, curved inside in a spiral, while the man's horns were straight and pointy in the ends, almost like baby goat's horns. There was a dragon that walked by his side, the size of a horse and he had a black-brown colour with highlights of some sort, but the dim lighting from the torches did not help to discern much else.

The young rider nodded in acknowledgement to the elder riders, who despite the food and wine still looked solemn, and then walked to where Tristan and Rikon were. He sat opposite them, looking on the table, his demeanour contained.

Rikon raised his eyebrows at him. Tristan cleared his throat and started playing with a fork that was close by. An uncomfortable silence prevailed until he decided to make the first move.

"So… I am Tristan. I guess you are the other rider?"

"I am Laer. And this is my dragon Onyx but I thought there was a forth rider?" the young rider replied, perplexed.

"Yeah, my sister but she is rather occupied at the moment. Some sort of spell took too much of her strength and she is recovering now. Long story, too many details, you wouldn't want to know" Tristan tried to say lightly, smiling, but his heart twisted just a little.

Laer nodded and proceeded to take a bite from the food that was served in front of him giving big amounts to his black dragon, who did not, however, grab the food like it was his last day in Alagaesia and was rather contained. Tristan took it as a sign of the dragon's older age. He was probably two months old and had passed the hatchling stage, entering into puberty now.

Tristan watched carefully as Laer's lips curled upwards while he ate and he noticed that his teeth had an edge to them and were sharper than a human's or elf's. He kneeled forward, just as his grey-blue dragon flew to Onyx's direction and started sniffing him curiously.

"So how old are you?" Tristan asked him.

"I became seventeen years of age two moons ago" the young rider replied. Tristan nodded and smiled, noticing the youth of the man's skin.

"And what exactly are you?" he asked again and Rikon next to him let out a loud whistle of exasperation. Laer looked taken aback just as his black dragon growled and the grey-blue dragon flew to Tristan's side, alarmed.

The young rider sighed and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"I would prefer not talking of my past unless it's absolutely necessary. Why don't you tell me about your lives instead?" he asked politely and Tristan nodded although he was more than curious to find out what Laer was hiding. He drunk a glass of sweet wine the likes of which he had never tasted before and he soon felt light-headed.

He and Rikon started talking about their experiences with an easy air and Laer joined in to make comments and laugh at their jokes. Before long, midnight had approached and Tristan was feeling exhausted but satisfied, as he had food in his belly, more friends than before and a place to rest.

The young dragons had moved away from the table with the food and were now near the fountain, play-fighting. Fiord and his blue dragon were prodding each other with their paws while flying. Onyx would watch close by and he would rise in the air and join in the fight every so often. The dragons started having a race of sorts, testing their abilities to their limits. Which dragon would fly higher, which dragon would fly longer, which dragon would fly faster, which dragon would run faster...

Satisfaction, excitement and amusement coursed from his dragon and Tristan smiled happily. Just then he noticed purple gently approaching the young riders and suspiciously sniffing the area. Purple flew to the direction of the other dragons and the creatures noticing its appearance started circling each other, trying to determine their intentions. Tristan watched as his blue dragon started flying high and fast into the skies and the remaining dragons soon followed.

He was no longer the only one watching, as everyone's attention, including elder dragons', servants', magicians' and riders', had shifted to the skies.

His blue dragon was leading the way, making intricate turns and twists, once going higher, once lower, then faster, then turned direction all together to fly in circles around the garden, palace and city of Dras Leona. It was a sight of beauty to behold with the dragons' unique colours, but they were becoming a blur and vertigo coursed through Tristan as his eyes, head and body struggled to keep up with the race.

This game was testing the dragons' abilities, their strength, agility, canning and speed.

Suddenly it was clear that the race was coming to an end, as his blue rose high and then dropped in an alarming speed, with the remaining dragons following suit.

Everyone watched, holding their breath and stepping back from the middle of the garden. Just before Tristan thought the dragons would fall to their deaths, they took a turn upwards, flew around in a circle and landed near the fountain. Water sprayed everyone as Onyx's tail fell in the water and Tristan could see the dragons panting, moisture glittering on their scales but satisfaction radiated from all of them.

He had no idea which dragon had won but smugness emitted from his dragon and then a crystal clear image reached his mind which showed the end of the race. Blue and Purple had been fighting for first place with Onyx closely behind and Fiord trying to catch up to them. It had been very close but in the end his dragon had won with the rest coming behind him.


	15. Vertigo

**Vertigo**

Someone clapped and then everyone in the garden was cheering or growling. Tristan smiled wider and exchanged glances with the other two young riders.

"Mighty Gods, this is by far one of the best things I have seen in my life!" Rikon bellowed excitedly.

"And there are more to come…" promised Laer and smiled as well.

Just as the cheering came to an end the human rider stood up from her chair and whistled loudly.

"I am sure you must all be tired from the long trip and the even longer night you have just had, but as riders, we need to discuss a few matters before we head to bed. Sleeping arrangements have already been made and you can sleep close to your dragons near the garden. The servants will lead you to your rooms but for now join me" she said and she walked inside a big room.

Tristan followed closely behind and watched Purple fly to the wooden structure, no doubt to check upon his sister. His steps took him to a marble room and in the middle stood a long heavy oak table. He took a sit on one of the chairs and Laer and Rikon joined him. The elder riders were already there.

The human rider took a long deep breath and then started.

"For those of you who do not know me" she started and paused looking pointedly at Tristan who rose his hands in the air apologetically and smiled "I am Ingrid. As elder riders we believe that including the young riders in the assembly is very important so that they can appreciate the situation and do not repeat previous mistakes. I do not wish to ruin your good mood but there are things I need to warn you about. There have been various attacks all over the land of Alagaesia. We did not want to believe it at first but there's no denying it. There is something out there that is threatening both us and the inhabitants of Alagaesia. Young Shades appear out of nowhere, shadow wyrms keep catching us unawares…" she was saying but Rikon cut her mid-sentence.

"What are shadow wyrms?" he said out loud, interrupting her and she shot him an almost annoyed expression. He looked on the floor and his cheeks flushed, turning into an even deeper red colour.

Ingrid sighed.

"We are not entirely sure. You might remember them being mentioned as Sundavrblaka. We think they are dark spirits of some sort. Durza the Shade was using one in his fight against Eragon-Saphira and they appear quite often in Vroengarg. They seem to be attracted to magic and they prefer the dark. They are strong, very strong and hard to kill. If they are spirits indeed, then a blow that would be fatal to a dragon, might only temporarily disembody them" she said and paused once again.

Tristan took all this new information in and realised with horror that the two shadow wyrms he had thought dead in the forest, could soon reappear. He shivered at the thought and dreaded the black liquid that burned everything to ashes.

"The plan is to rest here for a few days, regain our strength and then set of. We cannot guarantee that the trip will be safe and you are expected to be careful at all times. Do not use magic or any other fighting means just yet, since you have seen what happened to the young girl who did. If a threat does indeed appear you are expected to stay inside and wait for us to deal with it. Once we reach the island your training will commence and you should at least be safe there" Ingrid finished.

Rikon and Laer looked worried, Stoic looked angry and the elf kept pressing his lips together.

The hairs on Tristan's arms rose and he thought of his mother and friends in Arhan all alone and helpless…

"But we are doing something to fight against it, right? We can't leave the people in Alagaesia unprotected!" Tristan said and he felt adrenaline pumping in his body once again, demanding him to move, to do something…

"Measures have already been taken and the races will soon be informed. Do not worry, Alagaesia is not without hope" Melor said gently and stroked his beard, which had started to grow again to a rather normal length.

Tristan let out a sigh of relief. The riders stood up and servants were waiting for them to take them back to their rooms.

His servant was a cute girl with light brown hair and freckles and Tristan was glad for the distraction. This would certainly let him forget his worries even for a little while. He smiled at her and she blushed.

"Do you enjoy working in the castle?" he asked her.

"Very much, young rider. Dras Leona used to be a horrible place just a few years back but with the return of the riders it is much better now"

"I better hope the people here are being kind to you… What is your name?"

"People here have been most kind. I am called Natalie. What should I call you?" the girl asked and blushed one more time. Tristan smiled.

"A lovely name you have. I am Tristan" he said and bowed, extending his arm in a dance-like movement. As they reached the door to his room he paused.

He had always been okay with girls - confident around them- and flirted with the ones he liked. If they turned him down that was that and he respected their decision. If not, he would try to be as pleasant and kind as possible, never leading them on.

As he looked down at Natalie however he was conflicted. He did not want to take advantage of the situation. Tristan knew that being a dragoon rider gave him a certain air of authority and maybe the girl did not want to insult him.

The decision was made for him because as soon as he opened the door he saw smoke rising from somewhere in Dras Leona and then disappearing. He run to the window, which overlooked the garden and let out a breath of amazement.

"What is this?" he asked and Natalie followed close behind. She smiled knowingly.

"Storytelling. But far more exciting!" the girl said pointing at another whiff of fire and smoke that took the shape of the dragon. Tristan let out a loud whistle of appreciation just as the smoke changed shape and became a large black shadow creature.

"Razak?" he asked and the girl nodded. The smoke took various shapes and moved all the time, appearing as mountains and trees one time and then changing into dragons, skies and then big cities and war. At the same time Natalie was telling him the story of what he was seeing and he watched, with his breath held. It felt like he was reliving the moments that had shaped the lands of Alagaesia twenty years ago.

As the smoke disappeared into the horizon his blue dragon flew inside his room and licked his face. The girl giggled.

"Oh, come on you, we have talked about boundaries before, haven't we?" he asked his dragon but the creature only looked at him with an amused expression. Tristan exhaled noisily and rubbed the dragon under its chin until it purred.

Natalie smiled, gazing at his dragon and then sighed.

"I think that's my queue to leave. Goodnight young dragon rider" she said gently as she left Tristan's room. He stared after her, a smile playing at the edges of his lips, as smugness and curiosity emitted from his dragon. That night he slept well.

…..

He woke up late the next day, fully revitalised as the summer heat clung to his skin and made him sweat.

Tristan didn't do much that day or the next few days that followed but then again none of the riders seemed in the mood to do much either. They were instead, trying to rest and regain their lost power. Sometimes he would spar with Laer or Rikon depending on who was available and other times he would aimlessly walk around the palace and the garden with his blue dragon, trying to teach him new words. His sparring ability was almost equal to Laer's and he could easily beat the young dwarf, unless Rikon used a hammer. They started spending more time together and got to know each other better, which filled Tristan's empty hours but he still missed his sister. The elves and magicians present, had tried various means of waking her up but nothing seemed to work and she was still in that comatose state. Tristan had to wonder if he would ever talk to Kayla again. He had also searched to find Natalie but to his disappointment, he hadfailed.

By the time they left Dras Leona, his blue dragon had almost tripled in size and was of a similar height and build to a wolf. They crossed the lands of Alagaesia on dragon-back, following a southern path from the city. It was harder for the dragons to travel these distances with twice the weight, but they had all agreed that it was safer and quicker than being on foot. Before long they had passed the lands of Surda and had reached the seashores. The elder dragons took few resting trips when flying above land, but even then, they would not be able to cross the ocean and reach the island without any stops with that amount of weight.

There was a ship waiting for them in Reavatone in Surda and until he actually set foot on it, he had not realised he was leaving Alagaesia. The ship was large, aristocratic and looked to be of elven built. There were more than enough cabins for all the riders and there was even space for the young dragons and two elder dragons on the deck. Tristan guessed that the elder dragons would take turns in flying, patrolling the seas and then resting. He was still quite surprised by the fact that there had not been any attacks against them, but still, it did not stop him from being weary.

He gazed at the ropes that tied the ship to the port, the only thing that kept him close to Alagaesia and watched the sailors in the port untie them. Tristan's heart twisted realising it would be a long time before he came back and felt his dragon's consciousness comfort him. The blue dragon landed on the deck next to him, almost as big as a donkey now and licked his face with its rough tongue.

"And those were clean clothes before you got to them" Tristan said slightly annoyed and satisfaction coursed through the bond.

_I do try my best_.

Tristan rose his eyebrow as he heard a voice in his mind and he stared at the grey-blue creature, his mouth forming an O.

_So you can talk now?_

_Sometimes_, was the dragon's only reply as he flew upwards into the sky just as the ship set sail.

They moved slowly at first but they gained speed once they moved away from the port and the wind started blowing favourably in their direction. Tristan had been right about the elder dragons, as they took turns in flying and patrolling the seas, looking for potential threats and then resting on the deck with the younger dragons.

Sometimes, the young dragons would fly as well, testing their abilities to their limit and hunting for food. Their trip was pleasurable and even though it was the end of the summer and the sun was falling on their face all day, the wind blew and water droplets fell on their skin cooling them.

Tristan closed his eyes, smelling the fresh sea water and smiled in satisfaction.

_This is amazing!,_ he thought.

_I am amazing_, the dragon corrected, the second time he had spoken thus far, as he did intricate swirls between the clouds. It looked as if a mini tornado was happening.

Tristan didn't have time to comment on the dragon's remark, because vertigo coursed through him while he watched blue fly fast. He held a hand in front of his mouth, trying not to throw up at the side of the deck. This raised the concerned glances of Laer and Rikon but he put a hand in the air to show them that he was all right. He watched his dragon fly in the wind while Fiord was trying to catch up to him and Onyx and Purple were near the sea waters trying to catch fish and seagulls. Tristan sighed, realising something.

_You need a name_, he said in the dragon's mind.

_Probably._

_Would you like some suggestions?_

_Maybe_, his dragon's answer was and Tristan groaned in exasperation.

_Sometimes it's hard to communicate with you. _

_Thank you. _

Tristan couldn't help but laugh at the dragon's smugness and mischievous manners and he started repeating various names of dragons, riders, humans, dwarves and elves he had heard over the years but his dragon turned down every single one of them.

He was starting to give up, thinking he would never find a suitable name, until he gazed at the dragon's scales which glittered a beautiful silver-blue in the sun…

_Indigo?,_ he suggested but he did not like naming his dragon after a colour.

_Hmph._

_Something is missing?,_ he asked and the dragon agreed, flying high once again, spiralling and diving.

Vertigo coursed through Tristan once again and he run to the ship's deck just as the dragon dived to where he was, a set of black eyes looking at him intently, an amused expression playing on its lips.

_That's it_, the dragon said.

_That's what?_

_My name._

Tristan raised his eyebrows, perplexed, trying to figure out what the creature meant until…

_Vertigo?_

_Yes_, the dragon said, pleasure coursing through the bond and he jumped from the ship's deck to fly into the skies again.

Tristan smiled, satisfied and relieved, as he watched his dragon, Vertigo, getting lost between the clouds in a spiralling motion, his silver wings glowing in the bright sun.

**Don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav :)! **


	16. Blood and Fire

**Blood and Fire**

Natalie woke up in the middle of the night and she did not know why. She had been tired enough – working all day in the palace did that to her –, she had been fed enough and she hadn't been drinking much before she went to bed. Then why was she up so early?

As if by themselves her legs moved and she stood up. Natalie started walking out of the servant dorms and towards the city gates. But it wasn't her that was doing so, her limbs were moving in their own accord and she had no say in the matter. Annoyed, she tried to turn around and walk back, but her body did otherwise.

The only thing she could do, was helplessly watch as she walked out of the city gates and towards a nearby forest. She saw a creature standing in the clearing of the dark green abyss, but it did not belong to any race she knew.

The creature was wearing a dark hood and she couldn't discern much, apart from its raised white arms which had intricate black designs on them.

"Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you… Oh!" the creature bellowed and stopped abruptly what it was doing. Natalie was still not close enough to see what that was.

But just then, she saw a doe in its one arm and a shining knife on the other.

"Look at it! Its afraid" the creature spoke as if to itself and as the doe made a wailing noise the knife sliced its throat and the dead carcass fell on the wet, green ground.

"See? Not that painful after all, was it? Now, where were we? When the blazing sun is gone, when he nothing shines upon, then you show your little light, twinkle, twinkle, all the night" the creature ended and let out a terrifying, sadistic laugh and licked the fresh blood from the knife's sharp edge.

Then its eyes fell on Natalie, who had just approached. It smiled, showing a white array of teeth.

"You were late… Age?" it asked in a calculating manner.

Natalie didn't want to answer, she wanted to turn around and start running but her lips started moving as if by themselves. Her heart beat faster inside her chest.

"I am sixteen years of age" she replied.

The creature clapped its hands.

"Splendid! How young, how beautiful… Forever young!" it said and grabbed Natalie's arms and pushed her on the ground.

The light from the stars, fell on the knife and she watched, helplessly as the creature pushed it against her heart and Natalie screamed.

…..

_Blood. Crunch. Bones._

Ice was everywhere and it was cold, so cold…

She wanted to scream, shout, cry, but her lips were sealed, her body not responding to her mind's commands.

_You went too far, little girl… Come out, come out wherever you are_. She heard a sadistic laugh and she trembled but was it her limbs or her mind?

_Crunch. Blood. Bones._

Icy white daggers pierced her heart. No! They were teeth!

A piercing set of eyes - the colour of blood - looked into her soul, making her feel unworthy, dirty, terrified and she wanted to peel her skin of, but couldn't.

Dark liquid splattered on the white, icy ground, painting everything red as a body fell to its death. Black, sharp talons were trying to catch her, torture and hurt her. She tried to slip away from their grasp but then large wings extended and the dragon caught her before she was able to run. Another merciless laugh echoed in her mind.

_Help!_

No one listened. No one cared.

_Guard yourself against all dangers…_

Black markings twisted around the arms of her intruder, like a snake and turned into the shape of eyes.

_How curious to see one such as you here._

_Who am I? Why me?_

_Kayla,_ a voice whispered into her unconsciousness with a worried tone and the name felt familiar and alien at the same time.

Trying to resist the intruders was taking all of her power, all of her will to live and she was tired, so tired.

_The sun is lost, your loved ones are gone._

Blue flowers lay on the white floor but as she went to pick them up, she realised that they were not blue but red. Her hands shook, blood dripped from them and they were cold, so cold.

She begged for warmth to return and when she saw flames rising she willingly walked to them. Blistering heat scorched her skin, burned her insides, smoke choked her but she was happy.

_Let them burn!,_ she cried, a sadistic smile playing at the edges of her lips.

…

"Hold her down!" a voice shouted but she could not see.

She was hot and cold at the same time and she could feel a constant blast of energy on her heart but she wanted to get away from it. Her arms withered and she felt like a fish outside of water.

This simple movement resulted in her strength abandoning her and she fell into unconsciousness.

…..

When she next woke up, her breathing was slow and measured. She felt weak, true, but at least the burning sensation and energy blast had subsided. Her limbs were cold - almost frozen - but she dared not move, afraid she might lose herself in the land of spirits and terrible visions.

Kayla sensed someone near her. It was hard to determine exactly who it was at first, but she knew his manner was controlled, his every movement a precise act.

_The elven rider_, her mind whispered. It surprised her that she still had the ability to think and gently, so gently she searched around. Somewhere in there, was the source of magic but she dared not go close to it and instead looked for something else, something like…

The consciousness of the dragon nudged her own lightly and she could feel some of its emotions but not clearly.

She neither recoiled nor did she acknowledge the presence, resolving to think upon it later.

Time was passing quick and soon Kayla decided to open her eyes. Very slowly she opened one eyelid and then the next. Bright light came rushing through and it took some time until she adjusted. She blinked a few times and saw that the rooftop was made of wood, as well as everything else inside her room and the room was moving in a rocking motion.

Gently, she tried to move her fingertips and when she felt them touch the bed clothing and then rise she decided to raise her whole arm. First her right and then her left, ever so slowly and then proceeded to move her back as well and using as less strength as possible, her upper body.

"How do you feel?" asked the elf next to her and she turned to look at him. He was studying carefully her movements and she took in a deep breath.

"Exhausted. Cold. Hungry" was her reply but moving her lips felt hard.

She was presented with a platter of food and she hungrily gazed at the grapes, apples, bread, carrots and cold cuts of meat. With her right hand she grabbed the grapes and when the tiny bubbles got in her mouth, their sweetness exploded, almost sending her into a trance. Realising that eating grapes was her easiest option she proceeded to devour all of them and then went for the carrots and apples. They were nice and juicy whereas the meat and the bread felt hard and difficult to break with her teeth.

Once she finished her meal, she shivered, realising she was still cold. The rider brought her a blanket and she thankfully wrapped it around her shoulders.

"May I ask where we are?" she asked, looking at her surroundings, once again, bewildered.

"We are sailing to the island. Your brother and the rest of the riders are here with their dragons" he replied.

Kayla nodded and wrapped the blankets tighter around herself, as another tremor shook her.

"What happened?" she asked, briefly closing her eyes.

The elf pressed his lips tightly together.

"A Shade attacked when you were unawares. You killed him with the help of your dragon but you summoned too much power to do so and it almost drained you. The only way of keeping you alive was to transfer some energy back and try to heal you. You have been unconscious for almost a month now" he replied and she shivered one more time.

There seemed to be an awkward silence between them after that and suddenly Kayla couldn't stand the feeling of being stuck inside these walls.

"Can I go outside?" she almost begged. The elf looked at her sternly.

"Do you feel you are strong enough?"

"Yes" she replied because until she tried she wouldn't know. It took longer than she had expected but in the end she managed to stand up. For a few moments she felt dizzy but then everything started settling in and she exhaled the breath she had been holding.

Her steps were slow and measured, the elf behind her, offering assistance and while it took her a long time, in the end she managed to get on the deck.

What she saw almost took her breath away. There were no lights around them and the dark, black ocean seemed to extend for miles. It was the middle of the night and Kayla could see clearly the sky above her and all the bright stars that shone. She didn't care to gaze at her surroundings, only looked up and walked quicker to the edge of the deck.

She heard a growling noise next to her and she turned around to see a black dragon, almost twice the size of a horse. Kayla stepped back and noticed that there were two elder dragons resting on the deck alongside another three younger ones, all sleeping. In the night she could see a figure flying up and it started descending slowly towards her.

The purple dragon landed next to her, its violet eyes fixed only on her and she let out a gasp, clutching the blankets closer around her. Last time she had gazed upon the creature it had only been a hatchling and now it was bigger than a horse. She swallowed and looked around her, realising that apart from the elf who was keeping watch - standing on top of the sails - no one else was around.

The dragon's eyes had not moved from her direction, a mixture of feelings emitting from it.

_Kayla._

She blinked hearing her name in her mind and quickly realised that it had come from the creature opposite her.

_I have been waiting a long time for you._

Kayla wasn't sure how to reply but the way in which the dragon spoke was majestic as if it was wise and old beyond its years.

_I should have not used magic so carelessly_, she replied.

The dragon seemed thoughtful.

_Yes, you shouldn't, but if you had not done so we would both be dead or worse_, it said and then paused. _Why do you hate me?_

She swallowed, taken aback from the creature's direct question, as curiosity emitted from it and something else.

What to say? There were so many reasons but maybe the most important one was the snowy landscape memory that started coming to the surface of her mind, which the purple dragon went to examine further…

_No!,_ she shouted, forcing Purple out of her mind and it hissed at her, perplexed, taking a few steps back.

Then, regretting her harsh tone she continued a bit more gently.

_I am sorry. I do not hate you. This was wrong but there are parts of my life that I cannot share with you. _

The dragon snapped its jaws closed.

_I understand. We shall keep our distance as we did before, _it said and went to fly in the night sky, its emotions closed from her.

As she watched its form disappear she clutched the blankets closer to her chest.

_I still do not know your gender_, she said.

The dragon seemed to mull over its answer.

_I am female, but as my rider you should have known this by now_, the she-dragon answered and Kayla felt her heart twist just a little.


	17. The Morning Star

**The Morning Star**

It soon became apparent that her sleeping pattern was distorted. Kayla slept during the day and woke for only a few hours at night. It hadn't been that long since she regained her consciousness - only two nights ago - but she had seen her brother only once and very briefly. She hadn't even woken up properly at the time he had visited but he had told her about Dras Leona, the amazing Dras Leona, and the two younger riders. She would have paid more attention, honestly, but she was too tired. The only thing she did notice was that her brother's appearance had changed slightly. Kayla couldn't put her finger on what it was yet. He seemed different, maybe more mature.

The next day she really did try getting out of bed during the day, but the action seemed to require too much energy. Instead she decided to wait until night and when darkness fell, it was indeed easier. Her movements were more steady and precise and everything was silent which she greatly enjoyed. She walked to her usual place on the deck and gazed at the vast dark ocean, which appeared to have no end.

Kayla took in a deep breath and the salty air tingled her nostrils. More than a month had passed since they left Alagaesia and she hadn't even been able to say goodbye. Not that it mattered much, though. She had exchanged her farewells with the only person she cared for.

Most dragons who were on deck, were sleeping, apart from her purple and the black dragon she had encountered the previous day. The black creature - the biggest of the four young dragons - started approaching her slowly, sniffing the air around her. Kayla felt her heart beat quicken and purple let out a warning growl.

_I can slice part of his wings' membranes_, purple suggested, speaking in her mind and glanced at her sharp, long, black talons appreciatively.

_He doesn't seem to have bad intentions_, Kayla replied studying the black creature intently.

_Maybe not. But you don't approach another dragon's rider without asking for permission first,_ the dragon continued and she appeared insulted.

Just then Kayla heard footsteps behind her and she turned around to see a young man approaching. The lightning was dim but she could tell that he was tall, slender and muscled like an elf. He had horns above his ears that protruded above the river of straight, long, black hair. She wasn't certain of the race to which he belonged.

He walked close to where she was and approached the black dragon. The man's hand extended slightly and then the two of them started circling each other, in a dance-like movement. Then all of a sudden the black dragon rolled in the air, the man managing to caress the dragon's belly and then the rider scratched the creature's ears and it looked pleased. The man smiled.

_What was that?_, Kayla asked Purple. Her dragon shrugged and walked closer to her, but not too close.

"I apologise if I, or my dragon startled you. However he did inform me that you were awake and since this is the time I always wake, I decided to meet the elusive forth rider" the man said, a strand of black hair falling in front of his eyes. "I am Laer and this is Onyx. You have a beautiful dragon. What is her name?" he asked.

Kayla shivered slightly and pressed the blankets she had on her shoulders, closer to her skin.

_You have seen them before, I take it?,_ she asked her dragon.

_Of course_, the creature snorted in her mind.

_What do you think of them?,_ Kayla asked and was surprised to find that she actually cared for the dragon's opinion. A month ago she would have laughed at this thought.

_They would be foolish to attack us,_ Purple said, murdering intent coursing through the bond and Kayla laughed, surprising both herself and the creatures around her. Laer and Onyx looked at her, perplexed. The movement made her lungs hurt slightly, but it had been so long since she had last laughed, that she couldn't help herself. After a few moments she stopped and straightened up, looking at her dragon again.

_I do not think they pose any danger either, but what I was asking was whether they are nice or trustworthy…_

_Better be careful than sorry. However, there is no harm in answering their questions and finding more about them._

Kayla nodded and went to reply, but just then, she realised something. She looked up at the purple dragon, suddenly feeling extremely guilty.

_You do not have a name._

The dragon gazed at her - an intent set of violet eyes - almost accusingly.

_No, I have not._

She let out a breath of air, almost in regret, and went to talk to Laer.

"It is nice to meet you, Laer, and your dragon, Onyx. I am Kayla but I am still searching for a suitable name for my dragon" she replied and the other rider nodded.

"Yes, finding a name for my dragon was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done. It's not easy finding something that will describe both the personality and the image" he said and went to stand next to the deck, close to where she was. Kayla nodded, but what she didn't add was that she hadn't even tried finding one.

"You used an impressive amount of magic in the battle against the Shade" Laer commented and studied her carefully.

"It was irresponsible" Kayla replied and shivered, a tremor of cold passing through her body, remembering the lack of energy.

"But necessary. You would have died if you had not done so. Few riders have managed to stand against a Shade and live to tell the tale. True, he was a young Shade, inexperienced, but still a Shade"

She nodded and wondered if she was receiving her first compliment. Kayla knew well enough that what she had done was probably the most dangerous act a rider could do, so she had not anticipated to receive praise or approval.

"How long has it been since your dragon hatched for you? He seems quite big" she asked, trying to change the subject.

Laer smiled.

"My town was one of the first they brought the eggs to, around the start of the summer. Onyx should roughly be about two months old" Laer said and looked proudly at his dragon.

"Where is your town?" Kayla asked, interested, hoping to find some more information about Laer's parentage but he suddenly pressed his lips together, his dragon growling in hostility. He almost seemed surprised as if he had not expected to say what he said.

He shook his head, perplexed and then smiled.

"I would rather not talk about the past and concentrate on the present" he said.

Kayla didn't press any further and nodded. Instead she looked at the night sky, something she had always loved looking at. Then she turned her gaze to her purple dragon who took off and started flying close to the water's surface, looking for food underneath.

She caught two big fish in a matter of minutes, her jaws snapping together as she crushed bones and meat against her teeth. Satisfaction coursed through the bond and Kayla was just happy to share the experience.

It was actually surprisingly easy to lose herself into someone else's world and thoughts.

_You are a good huntress,_ she commented appreciatively.

The she-dragon snorted.

_If a dragon cannot catch its own food then it's no dragon at all. _

Kayla smiled and then sighed, thinking of potential names. Nothing seemed to suit the she-dragon though and she wasn't surprised. She watched carefully as the first rays of sun rose in the horizon and most of the stars disappeared, apart from one.

Laer noticed her looking at it.

"Aiedail" he said.

"The morning star" Kayla nodded.

"There were various legends amongst the races about it, but they now seem to have mingled into one story. Would you like to hear it?" Laer asked and she nodded. Her dragon was paying attention even though she was flying further away, with Onyx.

"Aiedail was a female elf, renowned for her hunting abilities amongst her race. She decided never to join with another male and instead live in the forest, amongst the trees and the animals. As she was hunting one day, she saw the Urgal God, Ahno the Trickster, and as is the nature of these things she fell deeply in love with him. But Ahno was neither moral nor good. He kept killing the animals she so dearly loved for no apparent reason. One day she was so angry that she set a pack of wolves against him. Ahno was so enraged after this, that he cursed her with unsatisfiable sexual desire. This led to her having many lovers from amongst the races. Ahno had been clever, if nothing else to place such a curse upon her. The man she cared for the most, however, was Orion. Orion was a human hunter who had accidentally seen her bathe naked in Leona Lake. It wasn't soon after that they became lovers and Aiedail did not need to turn to anyone else for her needs. However, Orion was a human and a mortal and the elf knew that he would soon die. She begged the gods to grunt him immortality and they agreed. Ahno had been with them when they were making their decision and he noticed a fault in her wish. Aiedail had forgotten to ask for eternal youth as well and so Orion became immortal indeed, but aged with each passing year until he was no more than an old, withered man with back pains and all the sorts of illnesses that come with old age. Orion pleaded to Aiedail to end his life, unable to keep on going. The arrow from her bow went straight through his heart and in the process Aiedail killed herself as well, possibly through magic. Realising the mistake they had made, the Gods decided instead to preserve the lovers' souls and make star consolations out of them. Orion's soul had been preserved quite well and the Gods made a big star consolation for him but Aiedail's soul was almost drained when they found her. Hence, why she has just one star for her, but it's a bright and important star. Aiedail hopes she will see Orion every dawn and she waits patiently. Sometimes her light fades but in the night they meet each other again and she sparks brightly. The star signals the start of a new day and gives hope to the most desperate of us" Laer ended and his voice shook slightly in the end. He quickly cleared it and smiled.

"Such a sad and beautiful story" Kayla commented, as she saw the morning start shining brighter in the sky. She couldn't exactly describe the feelings inside her chest. Some of them were happy but most were sad.

"Yes, it's my favourite story. My mother…" Laer begun but then stopped himself abruptly and appeared perplexed.

He looked at Kayla with big eyes and she was just about to ask him what he was about to say when her purple dragon spoke in their minds.

_How good a huntress was Aiedail_?, the dragon inquired, reaching both her's and Laer's mind and they looked up surprised, just as she landed on the ship's deck, pushing her silver wings against her sides.

Laer smiled.

"She was the best" he replied out loud and the she-dragon closed it eyes briefly and stood in front of the first rays of light from the sun and the star. There wasn't a single scale that didn't glow at that moment and everyone present stared at her.

_Repeat the name_, she said in Kayla's mind, in a very serious tone.

_Aiedail_, Kayla said, once, and made it sound as clear as possible through their mind connection.

The dragon's wings moved and glittered, the colour, a liquid silver – a great contrast to the dark purple and grey of her scales - and she rose into the sky flying towards the star.

Kayla smiled and Laer looked at her, smirking.

"Have you found a name for your dragon?" he asked and his black hair, moved to the right hand side.

"The morning star"

**Once again, review, follow/fav it will take less than a minute and it will keep me going :)! All comments are welcome, whether good or bad and you can always pm me if you have any other questions/comments. Currently working on the next chapter... Don't want to spoil anything but I will just say that the riders finally arrive on the island :P. **


	18. Landing on Dis Atilan

**Landing on Dis Atilan **

Tristan was becoming impatient. They had been on the ship for more than a month now and they had yet to reach the island. They had passed _some_ islands, true, but they had not stopped anywhere and they continued sailing in a southeast direction.

To fill their days the young riders would spar and fight, under the watchful eye of the Urgal rider who kept making comments about their stance, or the way they were holding their wooden sticks, or about the amount of strength they should be using.

Tristan could feel his body becoming stronger as each day passed. Looking back at his 'training' with Buster and Grion he realised that indeed it had just been play-fight.

Sometimes the elven rider would teach them words in the ancient language and ask them to try and use magic, but so far none had succeeded.

"Stenr reisa!" the elven rider said and the rock rose just a few centimetres above his open palm. "Repeat after me"

Tristan raised both eyebrows and looked at Laer, who appeared to be uninterested and Rikon, who was gazing at the rock intently and his cheeks had started turning red from the concentration.

"I think you actually have to say the words, Rikon. Otherwise you are only going to succeed in an early visit to your chamber pot" Tristan commented and the dwarf turned into an even deeper red. Tristan smiled brightly and the elven rider pressed his lips tightly.

"At least he is making an effort whereas you two are wasting my time" he said in a stern tone but his facial expression didn't change much.

"Fine, fine. Stenr reisa!" Tristan shouted but the rock in his palm, didn't move, not even an inch. He sighed, exasperated and Vertigo narrowed his eyes.

_Maybe I could try giving you some of my magic as a start to trigger yours…,_ he started but Tristan shook his head.

_Nope. As a dragon rider I need to do this all by myself._

_Stubborn. It shall take forever and I am getting bored of watching you, petty little humans, looking at a rock all day. _

Tristan raised an eyebrow.

_Go play with your friends or whatever it is you do up there_, he said and shook his head, smiling.

_We are looking around for potential danger so we can save your skins if the need arises. A simple thank you would suffice_, the dragon replied and send a mixture of feelings through the bond which appeared to be of hurt.

Tristan tsked.

_You are getting quite good at this 'fake feeling' thing._

The dragon let out a throaty noise that very much resembled a laugh, his emotions, now amused and happy.

_Thank you. I have been training… Oh! It looks like the short one managed to get it_!, Vertigo said and Tristan turned around to see Rikon, with his open palm and the rock above it, slightly trembling.

"Steady, now, steady…" the elf said but as soon as he did, the rock fell on the ground with a loud thump.

Sweat was dripping from the dwarf's forehead.

"I did it, I did it!" he shouted, excited and went to grab the rock and try again.

"I feel like we are being left behind" Tristan said in Laer's ear and nudged him on the shoulder. The rider smiled and then started repeating the words as well but not much seemed to be happening to him either. That day Tristan tried again and again but nothing worked and in the end he slumped against the wooden deck, exhausted.

The sun was beginning to set and just then, his sister came up. She had a blanket around her shoulders, holding it tightly in her hands and shivering every once in a while.

He smiled brightly at her and went to hug her. Kayla tried to raise her hands up but he ignored it and he just closed her in a tight embrace.

"I am so glad you are better!" he told her because this was the second time he had seen her since she had woken up. Most of her time she spent in her cabin, sleeping.

"Tristan. Air" Kayla whispered and Tristan let her go, smiling widely, but as he did so he realised that the bones on her back were more profound.

_Is she eating enough?,_ he wondered.

_Should I catch some sharks for her? I am still working on my skills but I can tell you for sure than I can catch at least one!, _Vertigo said proudly.

Tristan shook his head just as he heard a noise from behind him and turned to see Rikon hiding beneath a blanket, struggling to do something.

"Nagz reisa! Nagz reisa!" he kept repeating. Blanket, rise.

"I feel like I should go and help him but at the same time it's so much more entertaining just watching him" Tristan said, chuckling. Kayla smiled as well but Stoic, who was watching from the deck above them, was shaking his head every so often, disapprovingly.

In the end Rikon gave up and went to stand next to them, holding the blanket, his cheeks, a bright red colour.

Laer smiled and took the blanket from him.

"I think maybe we should concentrate on the rock for now and see where that takes us?" he offered, politely.

"Aye but I am done for tonight. You can do whatever you want" the dwarf sighed, exasperated and slumped on the wooden deck.

"Since no one is using the blanket, can I have it?" Kayla asked, shivering and Laer went to put it around her shoulders. Tristan watched this exchange, closely, realising that his sister and the other rider had met before.

"Cold, are you? Tristan asked both curious and concerned.

Kayla nodded, shaking slightly once more.

"I take it you don't want to experiment with magic then?" he asked her and at his question she looked horrified and quickly shook her head.

Tristan nodded and then heard his stomach growling.

"Food?" he asked and all the young riders nodded. The older riders were on the higher deck of the ship, talking amongst themselves. He brought the food out, and most of it was jam, bread, cheese, dried cuts of meats, fruit and nuts. Tristan put the giant platter in the middle and the riders sat down, cross-legged just as their dragons descended from the air with their food, which included mostly fish.

Kayla staggered back from all four of them, startled, as some of the fish landed close to her. Tristan, Rikon and Laer laughed. This had been their daily routine while on the ship, so he hadn't realised that it might look a bit weird to his sister.

"Don't worry. They stick to their food, we stick to ours" he said happily and went to grab bread and cheese.

Tristan hadn't even finished his first slice of bread before the dragons had devoured their fish. Each one of the dragons was eating according to its size, and at the moment all of them were bigger than horses which meant plenty of fish. He wondered how long it would take until he would be able to ride Vertigo.

His grey-blue dragon - at the moment - was playing with Aiedail's purple tail, excited, jumping from side to side. The purple dragon shot him a look of annoyance and let out a warning growl.

"Am. Aiedail kindly asks if you can tell Vertigo to stop playing with her tail" Kayla said and bit her lip unsure. Tristan raised his eyebrows.

"Why doesn't she ask him, herself?" he asked and played with an apple in his hands. Rikon was still eating, paying little attention to their exchange while Laer was looking at the sea.

"I think she already did" his sister continued and looked on the wooden ground. She obviously wasn't happy delivering Aideail's messages and she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Your dragon appears to be very short-tempered and…" Tristan was saying just as Laer yelled loudly.

"There, do you see?" he shouted and all four of them rushed to the edge of the ship to look at where the young rider was pointing at.

_I don't see anything_, Vertigo said, squinting his eyes. Tristan did the same but he only saw dark, blue sea.

_I think the tall one is imagining things._

Tristan almost agreed but then he noticed the white of some waves in the distance and as he looked more closely, there was a sort of mist enveloping a specific area.

_Waves means land._

_But where?_

"Gath un reisa du rakr!" the elven rider bellowed and the mist started dispersing and rising high. Unite and raise the mist.

Rikon let out a whistle of appreciation, Laer's eyes were wide with astonishment and Kayla's mouth had formed an O.

Tristan swallowed, once, and took in what lay in front of him.

There was a giant island, the size of which he could not exactly discern. It was long and thin on the edges while a lot wider in the middle. As he looked more closely, he saw a volcano rising high in its centre. On the end of one slope was a very fertile land, filled with green, tall trees, rivers and lakes whereas on the other side the land had a more rocky appearance. Even though the sun was low in the horizon Tristan could see that there were plenty of beaches around the island.

The island had the perfect form to host all races indeed, but one thought kept repeating in his mind.

_Who on earth would think of putting the dragon rider training base near a volcano?_

Vertigo let out a throaty laugh.

_I better hope it's dormant. Dragons fair well near volcanos, but even __**we,**__ won't be able to survive if it awakens. Oh! Speak of the devil! _

His blue-grey dragon looked at the distance, where Tristan could only see a small spot. He squinted his eyes and then he saw the spot growing bigger and bigger and he was able to discern giant sapphire wings flapping up and down.

"Saphira!" Rikon bellowed, his eyes growing large and he almost jumped from excitement. Indeed, the dragon Saphira was approaching them and Tristan couldn't help but gasp at her size and beauty. She was enormous and stunning.

On her back rode no one else but Eragon himself, with his brown hair blowing in the wind. The giant sapphire dragon let out a loud roar and dragons rose from every corner of the island with their riders, joining Eragon in his flight.

There were quite a lot of dragons, with different colours and sizes and all together they formed a striking rainbow as they flew towards them.

"Mighty seven riders…" Kayla whispered and looked up at the sky along with everyone else. She held the blanket closer to her shoulders.

"Actually, to be precise, there are more than twenty but…" Tristan was saying but then from behind him the four riders that had brought them to the island jumped on their dragons and flew to the skies where the rest of the group was.

Their ship was quite a long way from the shore and they weren't going very fast. It would take ages until they reached land.

_Is this a challenge_?, Tristan asked both himself and his dragon.

His dragon let out another throaty laugh.

_I believe it is…_

_I wish I could ride you. That would make things easier._

His dragon eyes sparked just at that moment and he looked at Aiedail, who was gazing at her talons admiringly.

_She is right._

_What did she say?,_ Tristan asked but his dragon winked and flew into the sky with Onyx, Fiord and Aiedail behind him.

Rikon pouted.

"I don't like being left behind…" he admitted but just then their dragons held on the front and back edges of the ship and started flapping their wings fast.

Wind blew against Tristan face and he saw the ship sliding through the water's surface, quick, like a knife slicing through butter. All four riders rushed to the front of the ship and looked above where the dragons were, below where foam rose and opposite them, where the island was. Just as the ship reached the shore - which to Tristan's surprise contained black sand - the dragons let go of the ship and landed gratefully.

Without further due Tristan was the first to jump from the ship and onto steady ground and Laer followed close behind, while Rikon and Kayla struggled a bit. In the end they all managed and they looked opposite them to where twenty and more dragons and dragon riders stood with stern expressions.

Eragon was in the middle and smiled just then, opening his arms widely just as his beautiful dragon Saphira let out another load roar.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin, Shur'tugalar" he said in the words of the ancient language. "Welcome young dragon riders, to Dis Atilan"

**Next chapter will be from Eragon's perspective. I will try to post it by tomorrow. And as CP would have said ...: Sé onr sverdar sitja hvass!**


	19. Greetings, Shur'tugalar

**Greetings, Shur'tugalar**

_Stop it. You are making my scales tingle._

_Hmm?,_ Eragon inclined as Saphira batted her eyelids at him.

_You worry too much. This is not your first time…_

_Yes. But what do I say to them? This is not like the previous years…_

_No it is not,_ his dragon agreed but Eragon was lost in his own thoughts for a moment.

_Shades and shadow wyrms have appeared out of nowhere, people in Alagaesia mysteriously disappear, one egg was stolen and two were damaged beyond repair, dragon riders appear to be no match for this dark power and finally I might have cast a spell that makes all of you unworthy of being dragon riders. _

_I think you should start by welcoming them first_, his dragon suggested and Eragon shook his head and smiled politely.

He looked at the dragon riders behind him, all twenty six of them and their dragons. Eragon knew each one by name and origin. He knew their stories and their struggles, their dreams and hopes.

For the four new riders in front of him, he knew nothing. Saphira let out a loud roar and he opened his hands widely.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin, Shur'tugalar" he said in the words of the ancient language but realised that none of them would know what he had just said. He switched to the common tongue.

"Welcome, young dragon riders to Dis Atilan"

He then paused and took a few steps forward. The riders regarded him with excitement and respect apart from the human female who seemed cautious. He studied all four of them and the dragons carefully.

The purple dragon was sitting close to the human female but it was obvious they did not share the same closeness that was characteristic of a dragon and its rider.

_I think you should examine their minds_, Saphira advised.

_You are right. Both have very tall boundaries around them though and I don't want to break them without their approval first and especially not in front of everyone here_, Eragon said.

_Indeed… Just make sure you do it and do it soon because we have to get to the bottom of this. if a dragon egg hatched but the girl isn't the intended rider we have to take certain measures..._

_Agreed_, Eragon replied and went to examine the rest of the riders.

Next to the female rider, was a tall human boy, with dirty blond hair and a grey-blue dragon with silver wings which very much reminded him of Saphira when she had been young. The boy seemed excited but relaxed and he thought he saw himself in him. Maybe that's how he would have behaved at that age if a dragon had hatched for him and he didn't have to worry about the Ra'zac, Galbatorix, the Empire or the Urgals.

_But think of all the adventures we had!,_ Saphira said, lighting his mood and he smiled.

The dwarven boy seemed just that at the moment. A boy, with few patches of facial hair and a bright orange dragon. Last, was the tallest rider of the four, but Eragon could feel himself stalling so he decided to begin his speech.

"It is a great pleasure to see four riders this year. It is true that we expected more dragon riders by now but instead our numbers have been decreasing. It is an honour and a responsibility to be picked as a rider. There are dark times looming ahead and you have to be prepared for whatever may come. This island will become your new home, at least for the next few years and we hope that you think of us, as your new family but without forgetting your heritage. You are going to train to become the best that you can be. This is important if we want to succeed in the fight against the dangers that roam in Alagaesia and protect the people. I strongly suggest you take your studies seriously" Eragon said and briefly saw himself from Saphira's eyes.

_I look so responsible and mature. _

_You are responsible and mature_, his dragon replied. He shook his head and continued.

"No racism shall be tolerated. We are all equals here. Sparring, fighting and mind duels are allowed but only when they are part of your training and you are observed by a master or an elder rider "

Eragon quickly introduced the five masters of trainings and the six elder riders. The six elder riders had been riders no more than seven years so he always found it amusing that he called them this. Compared to everyone else, they were indeed elders and the best of the bunch but still it was peculiar to him considering that some were actually younger in years than some of the young riders. The five masters of training had been riders for more than fifteen years and were again the best he could have hoped for. They were good riders indeed but also skilled swordsmen and capable magicians often due to their heritage. Stoic was the son of Theon who was the head of the Kull territory in the East of the dessert and he had been trained from an early age to become the best. There was also Idel, who was an elf and very powerful and skilled with her magic.

_And yet, even the best of the best can so easily fall_…, Eragon thought remembering the recent events that had occurred, when he had sent some riders to follow the trail of a shadow wyrm.

He sighed turning his attention to his students, fifteen of them so far, nineteen including the new four.

"You will be taken to your race dorms later tonight. Housing this way allows for different race needs to be fulfilled. There are dragon spaces in each dorm as well as an individual structure just for dragons. You will report to the head of your race dorm every morning so that training can commence. You will have different lessons and timetables. Sometimes you will train with your dragons, sometimes not. Once a week there will be a meeting to discuss progress and the matters in Alagaesia to which you have to attend to. Of course you shall have hours for recreation and island exploration if you wish, but please stay near the periphery of the island for both our safety and yours. If you wish to return to Alagaesia you will have to speak to one of the elder riders for permission. Dis Atilan is quite far away …" he continued but Saphira interrupted him.

Eragon saw the perplexed expression of the four riders and smiled.

"You might be confused by the term Dis Atilan. It is the name of this island and in the ancient language it means island of the ocean. Brasungr is another name for it but as you already know names have power, so we prefer giving it an alternative one, in case one wants to use it for his own needs", he explained and then paused once again.

_Am I being too serious? _

_One can never be too serious. Especially when dealing with teenage riders and young dragons. You know how they can get. It's due to their excessive hormone production, I believe_, his giant, sapphire dragon said.

Eragon contained a chuckle and went to continue but then the dwarf boy raised his arm in the air and the elder rider nodded, giving him permission to speak.

"Can we see and talk to our family? We are quite far away from them…" he said and looked on the ground.

"Of course you can but that depends solely on you. As Idel will teach you, there are words you can say in the Ancient Language that will allow you to converse with your family and see them" Eragon said pointing at the female elven rider on his right. "It is up to you to make the spell work"

"You will be introduced to the rest of the riders, masters and elders in due time but for now I suggest that you head to your dorms with your dragons and rest. Tomorrow we can have a tour of the island. For now follow your dorm masters and settle in"

The four dorm masters, elf, human, dwarf and urgal, walked forward and Saphira blinked.

_There are two humans and one dwarf. I do not know to which race the last rider belongs to._

_I shall speak to him._

His gaze moved to the tallest rider, who had an elven built but broader shoulders and goat horns above his ears. His dragon was a massive creature, quite big even for his age and his colour was black apart from a few golden highlights here and there. The rider's expression was serious and comprised but Eragon felt there was something he was hiding and his alien appearance left much room for guesses. He nudged slightly the rider's consciousness and he wasn't surprised to find tall boundaries.

_Eka aí fricai un Shur'tugal. I am a rider and a friend.,_ he said in the young man's mind. He didn't try to disperse the boundaries but waited until the rider did so himself. Eragon wasn't sure if the other rider understood the ancient language but then he felt the boundaries lowering.

_It is an honour to speak with you, Shadeslayer_, the young rider said. Eragon nodded.

_This is a delicate matter but I would rather have your opinion before any decisions are made. Which dorm would you like to be placed in? _

The young rider seemed thoughtful.

_I was raised in a human community so I know their ways better._

_So it shall be then_, Eragon said and turned his attention to the remaining riders, retreating from Laer's – he now knew the name – mind.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin. Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr. Un du evarínya ono varda. May good fortune rule over you. Peace live in your heart. And the stars watch over you!" he shouted loudly, smiled and jumped on Saphira. The elder riders and masters jumped on their dragons, following his lead. For a moment the riders said some words in the ancient language and momentarily sparks and fire illuminated the sky, turning night into day as he flew towards the base of the island. He could feel the gaze of the four new riders on his back and he let out a loud breath that only Saphira felt.

_Four more lives I am responsible for. If something goes awry it shall be on me._

**A/N: Happy September everyone! A month has passed since I started writing this fanfic and I have had more than 4000 views and more than 1000 visitors! Thanks to everyone for your reviews, interest and support :)! **


	20. A meeting of Old Friends

**A meeting of old friends.**

Eragon flew to the base of the island, where the central gathering building was. Saphira landed gratefully on the flat, green patch of land and the dragons behind, followed her example.

"Welcome back, riders" he said as soon as he had reached the structure with the open roof, which looked upon the skies and could host more than fifty dragons and riders.

"Aye, it feels good to be back" Melor said and scratched his beard, taking a sit near Eragon.

Eragon watched carefully as Ingrid placed the three dragon eggs gently in the vault, as if they were her babies. The Eldunari and the dragon eggs were safely kept in a crypt under the structure of the building, which was almost impossible to open from the outside unless you knew certain words in the ancient language and were found worthy enough to do so. Few riders had been able to open the chamber without Eragon's help.

He could feel Saphira's anger and distaste.

_When my talons catch the oathbreaker and egg killer I am going to shred him to pieces_, she promised in his mind and he couldn't agree more.

_It is a terrible thing, indeed, for young ones to pay the price of their elders' mistakes,_ the Eldunari, Umaroth, spoke.

At Umaroth's words, Eragon felt a feeling of dread settle over him. He wasn't sure if the words had been a simple statement or an accusation. He shook his head, perplexed, and resolved to think upon it later.

"Draumr kópa. Dream stare" he said and the water surface of the giant golden bowl - which stood in front of them and could easily fit three mature dragons - momentarily rippled and then five faces appeared, their backgrounds white.

"Any news?" the Urgal rider, Stoic, asked and his head extended forward to where the elven queen was.

Eragon tried not to directly look at her, but even then, her beauty took his breath away. Her green eyes shone as she shook her head with Firnen at her side.

"Nay. Four more elves are missing as well" she replied and the faces of all who were present looked stern. Stoic cursed and sat down on the ground, his hands in fists. Melor put a comforting hand on the rider's shoulder but he shook it off.

"Unfortunately I have no good news either. The exact number of the people missing is not known but reports keep coming" Nasuada said, the wrinkles on her forehead pronounced, as a few grey strands of hair fell in front of her eyes.

"The dwarves have started hiding under the earth once again but thankfully only two have been reported missing" Orik whispered.

"Same for Surda. Patrols of the lands have increased and Du Vrangr Gata has lent us some magicians" Orrin said and Eragon did not fail to notice how old and tired the human looked as well.

Finally, Eragon turned his gaze at the last face illuminated on the water's surface.

"What have you found my friend?" he asked and stared at the man with the dark brown hair and fair grey eyes. He was clean shaven but his lips were pressed into a thin line and Eragon noticed a faint cut at the side of his face.

"I have tried following their trail but I keep losing them. It seems as if they disperse into thin air only to reappear days later in a very different location" Murtagh said and pressed his hands over his chest, his expression stern. His dragon, Thorn watched the exchange carefully.

"We shall send other riders and you can meet them in Ilirea…"

"Eragon, I work alone and the people in Alagaesia do not trust me" Mustagh's answer was and his eyes glinted.

"Do not be a fool, red rider! You need our help as much as we needs yours! We need to find what is happening and get rid of the enemy, whoever that might be! Don't tell me that the death of the two eggs did not touch you even one bit!" Ingrid said and Eragon was surprised by her reaction. He had not known how deeply their deaths had affected her.

The riders were silent for a moment and Murtagh pressed his lips.

"I shall help the riders but I would prefer not stopping in the cities. Nasuada can tell you, better than I, how much people despise me" he said and his voice sounded hoarse and bitter for a second.

The elven rider, who sat next to Ingrid, Findet, rose from his sit.

"As dragon riders we have a duty towards the people of Alagaesia and we cannot abandon them in a time of need. Whatever your relationship with them, they shall not attack you while you are with us and if they do, then they will be punished" he said and sat down.

Nasuada's eyebrows were pulled together, her expression serious, but she kept her lips firmly shut.

"It is settled then. Findet, Ingrid and Melor you shall fly back to Alagaesia as soon as you are fully rested to work with Murtagh. Stoic as a master of strength, you are needed here, to train the young riders"

Stoic shot Eragon a look of annoyance but said nothing.

_He is angry to be kept here and not allowed to go search for Jijah, in Alagaesia._

_If you let him go, he will almost certainly do something foolish_, Saphira said and Eragon agreed. He broke the spell that allowed him to communicate with the leaders of the races and ended the meeting.

He flew back to his chambers and Saphira settled next to him, her eyelids closing, but she was still alert.

Eragon sighed and took the goblet of water that was on the table.

"Draumr kópa" he said, feeling the flow of energy as the water settled into the face of Murtagh.

The man looked up to him, annoyed.

"What?" he asked.

Eragon smiled. He trusted every one of the riders in Dis Atilan unconditionally and cared for them much, but as their leader there was none he could call his friend. Murtaugh was both his friend and his brother.

"It is going to be easier if you have them with you…" he replied.

"So you say. But they will only slow me down and ask me stupid questions"

"You might be surprised. How is Nasuada?" Eragon inclined, changing the subject. Murtagh shot him an irritated and pained look.

"How do you think? It's been more than a year since I have seen her in person and every time we meet, we do so in secret. Spies are everywhere and the Varden leaders only need the slightest pretext to throw her from the throne" he said in disgust and paced up and down.

"I wish I could do something to help her and relieve the burdens from her shoulders. I did not expect the Varden leaders to be so aggressive towards both her and you" Eragon said and Murtaugh rose his eyebrow at that.

"Are you really that surprised? And there is something you can do. You have the power, Eragon, use it already"

"Power comes at great costs, as you know. Besides I cannot leave Dis Atilan and abandon the students"

"This is bullshit, Eragon. Just because a prophecy said you will never set foot on Alagaesia again does not mean you can't. You, alone, control your fate and no one else"

"It is not that simple, you know. I have responsibilities here, I am currently working on extending the maps we have - the water and the land appear to have no end – and it's been so long since I last fought properly…"

"You are simply too afraid to set foot on Alagaesia because you will never be able to return to Dis Atilan again, am I right?" Murtagh inclined and Eragon stopped, his eyebrows pulled together. "How does Arya fare these days, Eragon?"

Eragon pressed his lips together and heard Saphira's voice.

_He might have a point._

He swallowed and shook his head.

"As I thought" Murtagh said and nodded. Then he smiled, humourlessly. "It appears none of us have much luck in love, then. Maybe it's a family curse?"

"Roran is doing well with Katrina. Their daughter has grown and training to become a magician. They usually escort the eggs in every Brasungr Festival. If it is a curse, then it began with our mother" Eragon said and smiled as well, a sad smile. Murtagh's face darkened and he rubbed his hand against Thorn's sharp scales.

They both let out deep, struggled breaths and held each other gazes for a moment longer until Murtagh looked away.

"Atra du evarínya ono varda, older, brother-vodhr. May the stars watch over you, elder, honoured, brother" Eragon said as he broke the spell.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin, brother, Eragon Shur'tugal. May good fortune rule over you, brother, Eragon, Dragon Rider" Murtagh managed to reply and his image was lost as the water settled back to its original form.

Eragon swallowed staring at the water's surface and his palm tingled. Saphira snorted.

_Just do it already! Otherwise I shall never be able to sleep with your excited, worried thoughts in my head_, she said and he smiled at her, as she blinked her giant sapphire eyes.

"Draumr kópa" he said and the water withered and changed to host the image of a young, beautiful woman with a river of straight black hair and sparkling green eyes. For a moment she appeared perplexed, her eyebrows pulled together and then she turned around to look at him. He smiled.

"My spell weavers are beginning to ask questions. They are worried that if you are breaking through their defences then another will soon find a way" she said.

"You have not told them about a certain spell I take it?" he asked her and she momentarily appeared insulted.

"This is something you have entrusted me with and I would never share it unless I had your approval first" she replied and Eragon sighed.

She did not smile and her expression did not change much. He had spent so much time with her and yet she always seemed distant and it was hard to understand her feelings and moods.

"Arya…" he said, a single word in his mouth and he watched, praying for a change. Her eyes grew big for just a second and her expression seemed to soften.

It had been so long since he had last seen her. He wished he could jump into the water and reach her side, touch her fair skin…

Eragon shook his head, remembering the harsh words they had exchanged last time they had met in person.

_Her harsh words...,_ Saphira corrected.

It had been mid-autumn and Arya had visited him in Dis Atilan. As the elven Queen, her duties did not leave her with much time for travel. He remembered how solemn and irritated she looked and the memory came back to him.

"_So many things to do, so little time. I always knew this role would be tough but I had never appreciated exactly how tough…"_

"_It's been ten years already since the beginning of Brasung festival and only a handful of eggs have hatched. More riders would help solve the issues the elves and the humans are facing. Nasuada has already informed me of various attacks from Galbatorix's generals and there seem to be people who keep opposing her. Orik and Orrin are helping her but since Orrin wasn't too happy with the decision made for her to become queen, I do not know were his loyalties lie… Dragon riders and dragons would help hunt these enemies down, built new buildings, make the lands flourish…" Eragon was saying but both he and Arya knew he was stalling._

_Eragon let out an exasperated breath while Arya held his gaze intently._

"_I have spoken to Umaroth about it and he agrees. Saphira, the Eldunari and I will bless the eggs again but we shall do it differently in order for them to hatch quicker"_

_Arya's eyes grew large and her stance turned into one of caution._

"_Do not do it, Eragon! You do not know what powers you will disturb!" she shouted at him._

"_The eggs have been in a dormant state for centuries now. I do not know for how much longer they will be able to stay like this…"_

"_No" the elven Queen said and her expression was serious. Eragon looked at her, surprised. "You ask of my answer. I shall give it to you. No"_

Another ten years had passed since then, more than twenty eggs had hatched and he and Arya had exchanged the occasional words but not much else.

The elven Queen looked at him again, her face now unreadable.

"It is late, Shadeslayer. Is there something you wish to talk about?" she asked him, while Firnen on her side seemed irritated and he walked away from the scrying water.

Eragon felt a lump forming in his throat and he shook his head.

"Atra du evarínya ono varda, Arya, Svit-kona" he simply said and broke the spell before he got a reply. May the stars watch over you, Arya, wise-woman.

He slumped on the marble ground and for the first time in years he felt the need to cry.

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	21. Lesson 1: Endurance

**Lesson 1: Endurance**

"Wow, just wow" Tristan bellowed as they walked on a stone path which led to the top of the mountain. He was trying hard to contain himself and not start jumping up and down like a child, thinking of the dragons flying above him and the adventures which would soon come.

Vertigo, who was flying above him, chuckled in his mind.

_Too much sugar?,_ he offered and Tristan rose an eyebrow at that and smiled to himself. The rest of the riders in front and behind him did not seem perplexed by the sudden changes in his expression or mood. They were all dragon riders. They all had silent conversations with their dragons.

In front of him walked the head of the human race dorm, a woman who went by the name of Gwen. She was shorter than him, maybe by a head and she had a thin, muscled body. A river of dark brown curls reached her waist and touched her olive skin. He could not place her exact age but she looked to be no older than twenty years. Tristan often found himself staring at her figure as she climbed easily on the rocks that were next to the path. He had to keep clearing his throat and try hard not to blush because Vertigo was making teasing comments about his reaction to her. Close to Gwen, a human male rider, Gas, was climbing the rocks as well and looked to be in his thirties. Kayla was walking behind Tristan and Laer was at the end.

The dwarves, urgals and elves were walking ahead of them and Rikon kept stealing glances behind him. He hadn't been particularly happy to be put in a different dorm from his new friends in the beginning, but now he had started talking to some other dwarves and appeared to be more relaxed.

His sister suddenly shivered and almost missed a step but before he could turn and help her, Laer had already put a restraining hand behind her. He quickly removed it once Kayla was steady again and she shook her head.

"I am okay. Just tired" she said and swallowed. From above them, Tristan could see Aiedail flying lower, her gaze locked on the girl.

"I am glad you and Aiedail are getting along better" Tristan commented and smiled to her, just as he took another step upwards and she held tightly on a rock.

Kayla pressed her lips and nodded.

"Yes… We have an understanding" she replied looking up.

Finally, after what left like at least an hour of climbing and then going downhill they reached their destination, which was a green valley located in the centre of the island and surrounded by hills.

There were a few tall oak trees around and a river that flowed freely from the top of the snowy mountains, ending in a small lake. He could see the four buildings made to house the different races and each was placed in an environment which most resembled the one that the creatures had been brought up in.

At the end of one of the hills there were caves made for the dwarves and then a bit further down a building for the Urgals. The building for the human race stood close to the lake and was constructed in the elvish style but with slight influences from human, urgal and dwarven architecture. Surprisingly, most structures were made out of stone, not wood – even though they did have some wooden elements - and Tristan wondered why, since wood was easier to manipulate with magic than stone.

_Wooden buildings would fare very poorly around creatures such as us. We do have razor-sharp claws and breathe fire after all. It would end badly for the wooden structures,_ Vertigo said, answering his question and appreciatively looking at his claws.

The only exception to this rule appeared to be the elven dorm which was inside the forest, higher up the hill, and was the only one made out of wood or rather the tree itself. It had individual taller structures at its back – as did all the dorm buildings - which were made exclusively out of stone and meant to house dragons.

In the centre of the valley, at the base of the dragon rider training centre, more stone buildings stood, all tall and grand. Stone paths connected the dorms to one another as well as to the base itself.

Gwen, their dorm master, followed one of these stone paths, reaching the human dorm and then walked inside. The riders followed her closely behind. It became apparent that the right part of the building housed the female riders and the left the males. As Tristan and Laer went to examine the building's interior they realised that their dragons had already settled inside the stone structures at the back and waited for them patiently.

_Mmm… Very comfortable. And pillows!,_ Vertigo bellowed in his mind, looking appreciatively around him. Tristan smiled as well and saw that the inside had quite a lot of intricate wooden designs used for decoration, compared to the outside.

The riders' rooms were located on the first and second floor. The former floor also had a big room packed with food supplies and there were baths and something that very much reminded Tristan of steam rooms, though he wasn't sure, as he had never seen one.

Laer and Tristan quickly decided on their rooms and then followed the older human rider, Gas, as he showed them the facilities.

"…and don't forget to wash and shave every morning" he ended, pointing at the wash basins.

As soon as the older rider left heading to his space, Tristan walked to his room. There was a giant double bed in the middle and across him there was a large window which overlooked the place where Vertigo had curled up. Without further due he jumped on the bed and wasn't surprised to find that the mattress and pillows were extremely soft.

"It's…" he started and then he felt his dragon nudge his consciousness.

_Amazing?,_ Vertigo added and opened one big black eye. Tristan smiled.

_Yes… Amazing_, he thought and felt his eyelids closing.

…

They woke up early the next morning. Kayla was used to sleeping during the day and being awake at night so she wasn't too bothered about it compared to her brother.

"But the sun hasn't even risen yet! Why are we up so early?" Tristan complained, rubbing his eyes while trying to follow them close behind.

"Trust me, you want the sun to be down for what we are about to do" Gwen said and Tristan looked at her quizzically.

Kayla wasn't sure what their first lesson would be exactly. She only knew that for today they would train separately from their dragons and she was glad for that.

She was following the human dorm leader as she took them higher on the mountain following the same path they had taken the previous day. They passed the forest and at the end of it they met the six young elven riders.

Out of the six of them, one elf stood out. He was tall, lean and agile, a characteristic of his elvish heritage and he had straight brown hair which reached his chin. His hair elegantly fell in front of his face but stopped just above his almost cat-like eyes. Kayla took in a breath of air just as Gwen, their dorm master, greeted him and the others.

The rest of the elves didn't look as enthralling. There were two twin girls with straight black hair that fell on their shoulders, two male elves, one with very short blond hair and the other with long, almost white hair and finally a woman which looked old for an elf and had pale blond hair as well.

Continuing their path upwards they passed the mountain caves, where they met up with the dwarves and then the urgals.

Once all the young riders had joined the group, Gwen took a left upwards turn and headed towards the volcano. Kayla wasn't surprised to see the elves and the urgals ahead of her - appearing not to struggle at all when walking upwards - and then the humans and the dwarves. She was the last one of the group and she could hear the conversations between her brother and the riders.

"Do you think they are going to throw us inside the volcano and ask us to fly or something?" Tristan asked Rikon.

The young dwarf shook his head, looked at the dark sky and swore under his breath.

"Barzul. It's too early for training and I better hope they don't do that, otherwise I will burn my beard" he said and stroked his facial hair.

Kayla smiled and Tristan rose an eyebrow at that.

"No offence but you don't have any facial hair yet. Which is a good thing considering we all have to be clean shaven" he said and smiled.

"You do, but dwarves can have beards if they so wish" Rikon said and smiled widely. Tristan was just about to reply to that but then Gwen raised her hand in the air and pointed next to the volcano crater.

Kayla looked to where the rider was pointing at and she could almost make out the outline of an Urgal. He walked quickly to where they were and pressed his arms over his chest. It was no one else than Stoic, who looked deadly serious and terrifying.

"We shall start easy today since none of you have done much - if any - training. Today we will run" the Kull said and flexed his muscles.

Tristan raised both his eyebrows.

"That's it? Running? No sword fighting, flying, magic or mind duels?" he silently asked Rikon, who appeared perplexed as well.

Kayla was just as confused as the two riders about their training and since she had not regained her strength fully she wasn't sure for how long she would be able to run for. She shivered unexpectedly and wished she had worn something warmer than the pair of leather pants and shirt she had found in her room's closet.

"You will go wherever I go. Whoever is left behind will have to complete the distance they didn't do today in the days to come. I suggest you don't fall behind" he warned and just like that he started running towards the volcano crater on the rocky path.

Kayla watched as the elves easily fell in step with him, the Urgals and older dwarves and humans following closely behind.

Tristan, Rikon and Laer started running as well.

Kayla took in a deep breath of air and gently pressed her right foot on the ground, then her left and then she went quicker trying to catch up with everyone else in front of her. She could feel her chest rising up and down, struggling to get enough air. Her muscles protested slightly and she still felt weak but she kept on going regardless.

The sun had started rising but the air still felt cold against her skin and every time she breathed, it felt as if a thousand ice needles were piercing her lungs. She shivered and almost lost her footing as they were descending towards a green, wet valley. Angrily, she shook her head and continued, following the people in front of her.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed but she could feel the sun on her skin, warming her up, but to an almost excruciating level. Kayla understood what the human dorm leader had been talking about when she had said that it would be better if the sun was down.

On a normal day the pace would have been easy to follow but they had been already running for a long time and her body was exhausted. She stumbled and this time she did fall on the ground, scratching her knees on a rock and she saw blood falling on the wet patch of earth.

She winced in pain, just as Tristan, Laer and Rikon paused and went to help her up. They all looked weary, with red cheeks, sweaty brows and trying to catch their breaths.

"You okay?" Tristan asked her, concern evident in his tone, as he put a hand behind her back and helped her up.

"Nobody stop! Otherwise whatever distance you haven't done today you will do tomorrow!" Stoic warned in a loud, almost mad voice.

Kayla pressed her lips together, feeling anger pumping inside her body. Somewhere, she could feel Aiedail's consciousness, but the dragons were too far away to be able to speak to their riders, so she could only sense feelings and see some images from her. Worry and annoyance emitted from the purple dragon.

"You! The four of you! Why have you stopped?" the Kull demanded, approaching them, his horns looking gigantic as the sun fell on them. The rest of the riders paused and watched the scene cautiously.

"My sister is a bit tired, she is still recovering" Tristan explained in a rather serious, protective manner and stood in front of her. Rikon and Laer stood a bit further away and Laer had his eyes closed as if concentrating really hard on something.

"We all have the same capabilities. Now, stop wasting my time and follow me!" Stoic continued and Kayla could feel resentment rising in her chest and a pressing need to scratch his yellow eyes out of their sockets.

"This is unfair! Urgals and elves are better suited to run – everybody knows this - and this is just our first day here!" Tristan bellowed as the Kull came closer to him, his shadow falling on all four of them, his gaze terrifying.

"We are all dragon riders here, boy! You think this is unfair? Life in unfair! Now keep up with the running! You need to teach your body to endure but it won't do so if your mind is stopping it. Your mind can endure anything and so can your body. This is your strength. Whatever happens you must keep on going! Do you understand?" he shouted angrily and Tristan pressed his lips together and nodded.

"If you want to stop, tell me and I will stop with you" he whispered in her ear but Kayla shook her head.

"No, I will run" she replied and she pressed her limbs to do so, even though they protested greatly and every muscle in her body felt like it was on fire. The only redeeming quality was that they were going down so it was easier on her lungs but not on her knees, which struggled to keep her upright.

More time passed and Kayla could now feel the sun's rays directly above her. She wasn't sure how much longer she could keep on going. Her mouth felt dry and her tongue was like sandpaper. Sweat was covering every inch of her body.

Suddenly her limps felt weak and wobbly, like jelly and she fell on the ground, her eyes closing.

Kayla must have fainted because when she opened her eyes again Tristan and Laer were standing above her.

She saw Stoic's tall figure approaching and the rest of the riders moved to the side but they all had concerned expressions on their face. They looked to be in no better shape than the younger riders, with their cheeks red and puffy, sweat flowing freely on their skins.

"If you can't even run this long how will you be able to fight your enemies? How will you be able to save the ones you love? You won't. Think you will be in a much better state after a fight than what you are now? You will be like this and worse! Now run!" he screamed at her but his breath came out in a struggle and he quickly wiped the sweat from his brows.

Kayla didn't even make a single move to run and just returned his furious gaze with her own icy one, feeling a tiny spot inside her mind slowly coming back to life.

"Stoic-elda I think we have all had enough running for today. Besides it is their first day here…" Gwen started but the Kull raised a hand in the air and took in a deep struggled breath.

"Our biggest strength is to endure. Our biggest weakness is to give up" he screamed at the top of his lungs and then paused to take another breath.

"Tomorrow you will run twice this distance. I suggest you come prepared" he said in a more even, silent tone and run at the edge of the hill they had been standing on. He jumped from it only to land seconds after on his gigantic dark brown dragon – a size close to Saphira's – who spread his wings and flew high.

**So yap this was a longer chapter than the previous one even though I tried to keep it to less than 3000 words. I am thinking of posting a new chapter every Sunday or Monday. Could you tell me in your review or pm if that's okay? Again, thanks for reading ****!**


	22. Have an open mind

**Have an open mind.**

"Stoic is extremely tense. I believe a few hours in the boiling lava would help relieve this tension" Tristan murmured but did so in an annoyed manner.

They were walking towards the base of the island, following the rest of the riders but they were doing so in a leisurely pace, still trying to catch their breaths after the long hours of running. The sun was slowly sinking towards the sea and the temperature was dropping, something Kayla was happy about. Probably the only thing she was happy about.

"I hate him" she whispered between clenched teeth as she was trying to think about something else other than pushing her thumbs up his eye sockets and not stopping until she reached the end of his skull.

"I cannot understand his behavior" Laer added, pressing his lips together but Kayla ignored his comment.

Her breathing was still uneven and she wasn't sure whether that was due to exercise or anger. She spotted a small rock on their way down and she looked at it, for only a second, before it started trembling. Kayla quickly looked away, hoping no one had noticed, and took in a breath of air, trying to calm herself. The momentary flow of energy in her mind stopped but she quickly sensed a consciousness pressing down on her own.

_Kayla… Be careful…,_ Aiedail cautioned and Kayla annoyed, put her boundaries higher up so that the dragon wouldn't read what she was thinking about. The fact that she could hear her dragon's words meant that the dragons had finished their training as well and were approaching the island.

_Although I don't disagree with Stoic-elda's training methods – all you, young riders, at the moment are close to useless - I think he could have been less harsh with you, considering everything that has happened,_ Aiedail said and Kayla breathed.

_Why were you looking into my mind? I thought we had established some boundaries!,_ she shouted annoyed.

_You are my rider. I have a right to know what is happening so that if the need arises I can come help you_, the dragon said troubled.

_You were too far away to offer any substantial help. If someone attacked us I would have probably died. Or better yet, Stoic would have died. That would actually be kind of nice_, she said smiling and suddenly felt the flow of energy in her mind, return.

Alarmed, Kayla stopped and pressed her hands on her temples trying to calm herself and drown Aiedail's voice. This earned her the concerned glances of the riders ahead. Gwen and the handsome elven rider she had noticed before, walked quickly to her side.

"We shall inform Eragon-elda of what occurred today. It is known that you still harbour wounds from your battle against the Shade. Even we, as older riders and I, as elf, had trouble keeping up with Stoic-elda's training" he said pointing at Gwen next to him, who nodded. Kayla did not fail to notice that his eyes had a deep green colour like the forest leaves.

"No. That will not be necessary" she told them and shook her head.

Gwen's brows were pulled together and she spoke. "Are you sure? There is no harm in admitting what is already known. Adrian and I already agreed to speak to Eragon about it"

_Your ego wouldn't be able to take that though, would it_?, Aiedail said, almost ironically, and Kayla saw the dragons' figures approaching in the distance.

The riders looked up, forgetting for a moment their previous conversation and switching instead, to silent ones with their dragons and for that Kayla was glad.

Tristan's grey-blue dragon, Vertigo landed next to him and let out a satisfied roar when he saw his rider. Findet and Onyx had similar reactions when they saw Rikon and Laer and Kayla watched as each rider greeted their own dragon, pleased and amused expressions on their faces, as they shared their stories.

Aiedail flexed her silver wings and did not look at Kayla. Not that the girl expected her to. A few moments passed before the riders continued their way down the valley and with every step she took she tried to stay away from the bright spot in her mind and her dragon as much as possible.

…..

"Steak?" Tristan inclined and shook the food in front of Vertigo's nose as he jumped from one side to the other.

Riders and dragons had all gathered in the Grand Hall at the base of the island, where they were taking their supper. Eragon had given them a tour of the small city, Glieonard, as soon as they had arrived and had urged them to discover the rest of the island by themselves, another time.

The complexity of the hall as well as that of its surrounding buildings, took Tristan's breath away. There were many buildings in Glieonard and cobbled streets connected them to each other, which were wide enough for at least two dragons to walk abreast. Rooms and doorways in the buildings were also large enough to accommodate dragons of most any size. As a result the base of the dragon rider centre was dotted with buildings of such immense proportions that would make even the dwarves stand in awe. Gardens and fountains were also found throughout Glieonard and Tristan had noticed a few towers soaring high as well. Some riders' halls and holds were present and the young riders had been informed that as soon as they had completed their six years of training, they could relocate to the base of the island, as opposed to staying in their individual dorms, if they so wished. Their dorms weren't far away from Glieonard, maybe twenty minutes of walking at a leisurely pace and less than a few minutes on dragon-back. This was a good thing because the riders had been informed that they would visit the place often, since almost all celebrations, meetings and suppers occurred in the Grand Hall.

Eragon was now sat on a table, alongside the elder riders and masters of training, as well as some elves and dwarves, which Tristan had not noticed the previous day and did not bear the Gedwey Ignasia symbol on their palms. The younger riders were in another table with their dragons by their sides.

The elven dorm leader wrinkled his nose as Tristan took a big bite from the meat.

"What?" he inclined and the rider shook his head.

"Your human manners will change once you enter another living being's consciousness. It's easy for you to eat meat now, but when you experience how the animal feels, how it thinks, how it behaves, your perception will change" he said.

"Doubtful" Rikon replied next to him as he finished his second cut of meat. "Dwarves, humans and Urgals have been eating meat for millennia now. This shall not change"

Tristan nodded and examined what the riders around him were eating. Apart from him and Rikon everybody else seemed to prefer vegetables, grains and nuts and there was a vast array of those.

"Does Stoic eat meat?" he asked the elven rider, who went by the name of Adrian.

"Sometimes" Adrian replied. "But when there is so much else to choose from – all these fruit, nuts and grains you eat are grown on the island – why would you decide to end an animal's life?" he asked.

_Because I need to eat,_ was Vertigo's answer. _And meat is my source of energy._

_That is indeed the case for us but not for elves, humans, dwarves and urgals_, Adrian's dragon - a big, lean creature with a mahogany colour and hazel highlights – said in his deep, throaty voice but Tristan didn't particularly appreciate his and his rider's obnoxious way of talking.

"What about plants? Are they not considered living things?" Tristan replied, raising his eyebrows.

Adrian did the same.

"Plants are living things as well and very complex indeed. But you do not kill a plant, simply collect the fruit it freely gives you" he said and Rikon and Laer joined in the conversation.

Tristan was already getting bored of this talk, however, so he turned his attention elsewhere.

"Will you allow me to heal your wounds? I can lessen the tension on your limbs" Gwen offered to Kayla, who was sitting next to her. "Besides, my responsibility is taking care of the new human riders"

Tristan considered the possibility of injuring himself on purpose so that he could go to Gwen for healing.

_Low. Low, even for you_, Vertigo said in his mind and chuckled. He blushed and threw a fork at his dragon's direction which only bounced back from his armour-strong scales.

_Really?,_ the dragon asked and almost raised an eyebrow but Tristan stretched his limbs.

_It was worth a try,_ he said and smiled, content.

"You should…."

"Accept…"

"Her help"

Tristan heard the voices and looked at the twin elven girls who spoke to Kayla. They had fair skin and straight, black hair which reached their shoulders. Their eyes had the darkest colour Tristan had seen and when he tried looking directly into them he felt as if he was sinking into an abyss.

_They finish each other sentences_, Vertigo said.

_Not creepy at all_, Tristan added just as the two girls started laughing for no apparent reason. A dragon approached them and when it raised its head he almost let out a scream.

"Mighty seven riders!" he said and fell from his chair. Vertigo chuckled in his mind.

_Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that._

Tristan swallowed as he looked at the grey dragon, a colour similar to the mountain's rocks, with the two heads.

Kayla appeared surprised as well.

"I am Maya…"

"And I am May" the girls said but Tristan could not see any differences between them or between the two dragons' heads. They narrowed their eyes at him and he felt as if he was momentarily frozen into place. Then the girls chuckled and he was suddenly able to move again. He quickly looked away.

"Weird" Rikon whispered into his ear and Tristan nodded.

"Weird doesn't even begin to describe it" he replied just as the girls fed the dragon heads small meat pieces, which they had cut in a very precise shape.

Laer pulled the chair from the table and cleared his throat. Tristan looked up to him and smiled.

"Where are you going?" he asked curious but the other rider touched Onyx's nose gently and then turned his attention to him.

"I am heading back to our dorm. Training will start early tomorrow and I want to be fully rested…" he explained but Tristan rose an eyebrow.

"Really?" he asked and shook his head. "I am sure the dorm leaders will tell us when we need to head back to our dorms…" he was saying but the other rider had already exited the building.

Tristan turned his attention back to Gwen. A dark brown curl fell in front of her face as she whispered some words to relax Kayla's muscles and pressed her hands on his sister's thighs.

_Your thighs must ache as well. Ask her to heal them for you_, Vertigo said and Tristan blushed once again. Nevertheless, he ignored the comment and his dragon went to play with Aiedail's tail. The she-dragon growled, once, warningly and Tristan chuckled as Vertigo walked back to him with his tail down like a scolded puppy.

Suddenly, a ringing noise echoed in the hall and all of their attentions shifted to Eragon, who was touching the edge of his fork on the crystal glass.

"I hope you enjoyed your first day of training today even though it must have been different from what you might have expected. What are the three rules to spotting downdrafts, young riders?" he asked and pointedly looked at the three of them, Tristan, Kayla and Rikon.

Tristan felt as if he was being examined, only he was not prepared. Even though Vertigo had been far away training with the rest of the dragons today - and thus he was not able to speak to him - he had still been able to see some images and sense some of his thoughts. He felt like he knew the answer to Eragon's question and he repeated it to him.

Eragon smiled and nodded.

"Indeed this is true. And which race can run the fastest and which the longest?" he asked looking at Onyx, Aiedail and Vertigo. The dragons appeared perplexed and Eragon shook his head.

"You share a connection with each other and you should make the most of it. Keep an open mind at all times and even when training separately, remember to communicate with each other" he advised.

At that Kayla crossed her arms over her chest.

"You can return to your dorms and rest well, because there is a long day ahead of you tomorrow, with more lessons and training" he said and the young riders started exiting the Grand Hall.

"But I shall need to speak to you, Kayla" he added. Tristan did not doubt that Eragon already knew what had occurred during their training today. He was not sure what to make of the legendary rider yet, but he seemed to be more calm and understanding than Stoic.

He heard Eragon saying to Kayla to meet him afterwards in the library. Tristan rubbed his hand against Vertigo's scales absentmindedly and looked at the dark sky as he followed Gas and Gwen back to the human dorm rooms.

Soon, Vertigo grew bored of walking and rose to the skies.

_I am looking forward to the time you will join me there_, the dragon said in his mind in a surprisingly warm tone.

_Me too._

**A/N: I have decided to post a new chapter every Sunday/Monday (I have the weekend which gives me plenty of time to write something :p) . **

**Next chapter will include Eragon's examination of Kayla's mind and we will find out what he actually did to the eggs and why he did what he did! **

**D****on't forget to leave reviews, they make my day and keep me writing :)!******


	23. Keep your friends close

**Keep your friends close…**

**A/N: Finally, I got my laptop back :D! And all the files are here :D! It was a battery problem in the end and thankfully I had insurance! As promised, here is the new chapter and I will post the new one on Sunday. Again, thanks for your supportive comments (even though I didn't reply to any of them) and your patience and enjoy the chapter :).**

"Stoic, you cannot treat them in this way. They are students" Eragon advised the master of strength and looked sternly at him. They were inside the library, which was located at the back of the Grand Hall and Eragon was sitting at his wooden desk.

"It is no different to the way I was raised" the Kull replied, his gaze stern.

"What is this about, really?", Eragon inclined and the rider pressed his lips together.

"Send me back to Alagaesia, Eragon"

"I cannot"

"You do not need me to train the students. Someone else can do my part"

"It is not about that", Eragon replied and the Urgal's eyes grew large.

"Do you think I will be unable to stand before the enemy?"

"This is a threat none of us have faced before but it is not about that either. I am afraid you might put your fellow riders at risk by doing something foolish in your attempt to find Jijah"

Stoic sat on the ground, cross-legged and at the mention of the name he put his head between his hands.

"She was – is - the one for me, Eragon. If something – someone – has taken her I owe it to her to find her. Would you not do the same, if you were in my position?" he asked and Eragon already knew the answer to that, remembering the dark dungeon the Shade had kept Arya in.

Jijah had been an Urgal dragon rider, one of the first to have an egg hatch for her. She and Stoic had grown close over the last few years. As soon as news had arrived of an impending danger in Alagaesia, however, she had been sent back together with another four riders. They had not returned.

_Should I let him go back to Alagaesia?,_ he asked Saphira who was resting outside, in a garden with fountains.

_More riders would possibly aid in identifying and crushing the threat but the same was said last time and the plan failed. Fewer riders might work better than more. _

_But now we have a better understanding of the threat._

_Do we, though? _

Eragon sighed deeply, mulling over his answer.

"I cannot keep you here if you do not wish to be here"

Stoic nodded.

"I shall depart with the rest of the riders then" he said and there was a note of determination in his voice.

"Be careful Stoic. The dangers that lurk out there… The Eldunari and I don't know what to make of them" Eragon said and the rider nodded. Stoic went to exit the room but Eragon held his hand up.

"You are the only one who has ventured into the human girl's mind, is that not true?" he asked, curious, and played with a feather which was at the top of the desk, close to a book he had been reading.

Stoic's brows pulled together.

"Her mind is most curious. I have not encountered anything like it before" he said and Eragon nodded. The other rider walked out of the room and closed the wooden door behind.

Eragon let out another breath and looked at the ceiling. From the window on his left, Saphira's eye poked through. There was a time when they had first arrived on the island that she could fit her whole head through the opening, but those times were long past.

Eragon examined the map he held in his hands. It was a map of Alagaesia and all the lands which extended beyond, which he had discovered in the last twenty years. Atop his desk a thick stack of books lay and he had read each and every one of them.

_And yet reading books does not solve the problems. You remind me of Jeod, nowadays_, Saphira said in his mind.

_I like to think of myself as a scholar as well_, he replied and thought of the time when he had fought against the Empire and the dark powers that ranged, defeating Galbatorix. He could no longer do that, but Murtagh was in Alagaesia in his place and had all the resources needed.

_Apart from one. The people will never fully trust him. Not like you,_ Saphira said, finishing his trail of thoughts. The rider nodded just as a knock echoed inside the library.

Eragon looked up and a head poked through the door. The girl was slender with long, blonde hair which fell in front of her face and half concealed her purple-blue eyes. She didn't appear scared, rather cautious and maybe a bit irritated.

"Welcome, young rider" Eragon said and smiled to her but she did not return his smile. She had her hands into fists.

"You will want to examine my mind, I take it" Kayla simply said and he was surprised by her insight.

"Indeed. The elder riders informed me of the circumstances during which Aiedail hatched. Is she here as well?" Eragon asked, even though he already knew the answer. He wanted to see the girl's stance on the matter.

Kayla nodded.

"She is outside but I would prefer if she wasn't too close while you examined my mind"

_Hmmm_, Saphira said in his mind and Eragon rose an eyebrow.

"And why would that be?"

"My thoughts are my own as are my memories and I try to keep them this way" she said and crossed her hands over her chest.

"The most basic lesson of being a Shur'tugal is to share everything with your partner. Would you cut of your right arm or would Aiedail fly with only one wing? Nay. Why would you ignore the bond that links you? This way you reject your greatest gift" he said but the girl remained solid on her decision.

He sighed.

"Will you at least allow me access to your mind, then?" Eragon inclined.

"To you, yes. To anyone else I would rather not" she replied and took a few steps forward to where he was. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Eragon gently touched his thumbs on her forehead and felt the tall boundaries in her mind dropping.

_Can you hear me?,_ he asked her.

_Yes,_ she replied.

_I shall now look at your memories. _

_Please be quick about it_, she replied in an almost stern tone and this time Eragon wasn't surprised.

He examined every memory he could find. Some rose on the surface easier than others. He saw her growing up, step by step and he felt the deep love she harboured for her only two family members. Eragon sensed her heartbreak at her father's death and when he went to dig further he felt her wince and he almost got thrown out of her mind, which was something he had not expected.

Only elder, trained elves and some dragon riders could match his skills in mind duelling and this girl had never even been trained. He took in a deep breath and proceeded once again reaching the point where the dragon had hatched for her and the way she had fought against the Shade.

Even though everything appeared normal there was something unique about the girl's mind that he had never encountered before. He was curious at her display of magic and went to further examine it but suddenly he felt something attacking him, like a dagger being inserted into his mind.

Saphira growled and quickly lent him her power to counteract the attack. It did little to help and suddenly Eragon was thrown back inside his own mind and the boundaries around the girl's mind seemed to be ten times higher than before.

He opened his eyes and saw her breathing heavily, tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Please. Never again" she whispered and held her hand up in the air. Eragon felt drained and heard the purple dragon flapping her wings angrily outside of the library.

_What was that?,_ he asked Saphira who had her lips curled up at the corners, her face visible from the window. Her distaste for the girl was evident.

_I do not know but I do not trust her, Eragon. _

"I can't, I am sorry" Kayla said and closed her eyes. "It's too painful"

Eragon nodded and waited until five, ten or more minutes passed. As soon as he regained some of his strength he looked at the girl, who now had her eyes open.

_I still do not know if this occurred because of what we did to the eggs_, he said in his dragon's mind.

_I highly doubt it. This appears to be something else entirely. _

Eragon agreed but still he couldn't help himself and he asked the question which had been circling at the edges of his mind for weeks now.

"You did not want to become a dragon rider before. Have you, however, changed your mind?" he asked her.

Kayla met his eyes for only a brief second.

"No" she replied and he heard Aiedail's pained growl outside, as the dragon took off.

Eragon swallowed and clutched the object closest to him which was a chair.

_It is my fault, Saphira. _

_You do not know that!_

_And yet I do,_ he said and shook his head, the movement causing a sharp pain to run down his neck.

"There is no way to reverse this, then?" Kayla asked and Eragon shook his head.

"No precedent exists to draw upon for wisdom"

"Can I go back to my room? Training will start early tomorrow" she said but she was looking somewhere far away and he couldn't guess her thoughts.

"Yes, you may go" he said and he watched the girl turning the door handle and quickly walking away.

Saphira growled.

_There is a human saying, Eragon, which you know already. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. _

….

Eragon walked quickly to the Central Gathering Building, close to the Grand Hall, feeling his heart beat quicken inside his chest. Saphira followed closely behind. He saw the gigantic golden goblet with the water and then looked at the crypt which was located directly below.

He swallowed and said some words in the ancient language. Eragon felt the fleeting touch of many minds, who quickly examined his thoughts and then the water drained from an opening in the golden goblet only to reveal a hidden passage way and a set of stairs. Saphira was way too big nowadays to fit inside the opening, so he went down below, alone.

What he saw inside, reminded him very much of the Vault of Souls in Vroengard. Many alcoves dotted the walls and within each alcove rested a glittering orb. All had different sizes, like dragon eggs and they pulsed with a soft inner glow. On the tiers below he saw smooth and ovoid objects that appeared to be sculpted from stone of differing colours, the dragon eggs.

Out of all of the Eldunari the ones that spoke most often to him and to the other riders were Umaroth and Glaedr. The Eldunari were kept in the crypt most of the time and even though there was a rock above it, it was not big enough to stop them from extending their consciousness to the rest of the riders.

Sometimes they instructed the masters of training on whether they were doing something wrong or whether there was another spell they could use. Other times they remained silent and dormant, appearing not to be very interested in the events that occurred.

_You have come again, Shur'tugal_, Glaedr said, speaking in his mind. Eragon nodded and showed the Eldunari, his recent attempt in entering Kayla's mind.

The old dragon Valdr seemed stunned and then projected an image of another dragon, which Eragon had not seen before. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

Eragon had long concluded that Valdr must have been a wild dragon. When he had first arrived on Dis Atilan, he had considered sending the eggs that were not set to join the Riders on another island nearby as soon as they hatched, with Valdr as their leader and teacher. Indeed twenty wild dragon eggs had hatched since then and he had sent them to an island not far away from Dis Atilan, but Valdr had requested to be kept here. Instead, Eragon had sent ten Eldunari to join them that once belonged to wild dragons as Valdr had shown him. It was only fair to have the old wild dragons teach their ways to the new ones.

The existence of the island and of the wild dragons themselves, was only known by a few and Eragon wanted to keep it that way. It was better for the time being - until the wild dragons grew strong enough to defend themselves and also in order to avoid terrorizing the rest of the living creatures - to have them far away from Alagaesia. He visited the island with the wild dragons, Ramirblaka, often and he communicated with the wild dragons' Eldunari to make sure everything was safe.

Two hundred and forty-three eggs he had found in the Vault of Souls. Twenty six had been set to join with Riders and the rest were un-bonded and free to hatch when they so wished. And yet only twenty of them had done so and Eragon worried much, because he remembered Umaroth's warning.

_The eggs are bound with magic that slows their bodies, and they can remain as they are for years more, but it is not good for them to stay within their shells for too long. If they do, their minds can grow twisted and strange._

He had not known why the eggs weren't hatching. The conditions seemed ideal for them to do so and yet they remained dormant, something that made the Eldunari worry as well. It was Saphira who had first suggested this.

_You changed the blessing to include the Dwarves and the Urgals. Why not bless them again so that they can hatch quicker? Both the riders' eggs and the wild ones? I feel their consciousness at night and it troubles me. They cannot stay in their shells much longer without any consequences._

Glaedr and Umaroth has agreed saying that it was time for the eggs to hatch. Eragon knew he would need to bless the eggs in a way to allow them to hatch quicker. He had also decided to include some wild ones to the eggs that were set to join the riders.

In his latter decision, the Eldunari appeared to be conflicted. Valdr had been strongly opposed while Glaedr agreed but had warned Eragon that he did not know what the exact aftermath of this would be, considering the mother dragon had not freely given her egg to the riders.

Twenty six eggs had been set to join the riders and he had included another twenty four. Out of those fifty, thirty five eggs had hatched. Thirty five riders should have been present but five of them had gone missing under unknown circumstances during their travels in Alagaesia. At the moment twelve eggs set to join the riders stood in the crypt as well as some wild dragon eggs while the rest were in Ramirblaka.

_Was my decision wrong?,_ Eragon asked, his thoughts returning to the present situation.

Valdr showed Eragon another image of a giant dragon, while Glaedr and Umaroth seemed to be mulling over their answer.

_The purple dragon – Aiedail – was supposed to be one of the wild dragons,_ Glaedr simply said.

_But wild dragon eggs blessed again have hatched for other riders and we have not had a similar problem,_ Eragon insisted.

_No, we have not. Maybe you should consider the possibility that the dragon is not the problem, _Umaroth added.

_Then what is?_

At that, Umaroth and Glaedr did not reply, but Valdr showed Eragon another image of a dragon and then someone that very much resembled a sorcerer.

After a long time he exited the crypt, but was more bewildered than ever. In the early hours of the morning, during his elf sleep-like state, he saw a creature with black markings covering its arms and giant dragons which had the sizes of mountains hunting him down and demanding him to return the eggs.


	24. Leson 2: Agile Sparring

**Lesson 2: Agile Sparring.**

The next day Tristan did not need to be woken. He had already washed under the warm water in the baths and shaved to the best of his abilities. Now, he wore a clean white linen shirt and a pair of linen trousers as well, which he had picked from his closet and hoped would ease his running.

They followed the path they had taken the previous day, stopping once so often to pick the rest of the riders and reached the volcano crater where a rider awaited them, one he had seen only briefly.

He was human with dark brown skin and clean shaven head which glowed under the first rays of light from the sun. For a human, he was tall and very well built. Tristan was surprised to see that there wasn't a single hair on the rider's skin. Golden rings hung from his ears and one from his right eyebrow. As he saw them approaching the elder rider flexed his muscles and pressed his arms over his chest.

"Welcome, welcome, young riders. The ones who have been here before will know me as a master of sparring but since Master Stoic has been assigned different duties I volunteered to take his role. My name is Octavian but you shall refer to me as master or ebrithil as is the word in the ancient language. We shall repeat what you did yesterday with Stoic; run. This is done to train your muscles and increase your endurance as he might have explained but as there are other tasks to concentrate on, we shall not spend long running" he said and with that he set of ahead of them, his golden earrings making a ringing noise every time he landed on the ground.

Tristan followed behind and kept stealing glances at Rikon and Kayla who were at the back of the group. Surprisingly they were able to keep up and weren't going too slow.

As Octavian had promised, they did not run for long, maybe a couple of hours and as soon as the sun rose they stopped to catch their breath. They were in a valley now, near the forest and there were tall oak trees with long shadows that reached them and offered some protection from the day's heat.

Octavian took a sword out of its sheath, a beautifully decorated golden sword and faced them.

"Now. I don't know if any of you have done much training with swords but as Shur'tugalar it is necessary that you know how to wield one as well as a bow. With me you shall be taught both and you need to be patient and persistent. You will be put into groups of two to train" he said and carefully went around the group, arranging them into pairs. He put the older, more experienced riders together and did the same with the younger ones.

Tristan was placed with an Urgal rider, who was named Grohn and had been a dragon rider no more than a year. This was good news for him, meaning he stood a chance against the Urgal and he got given a wooden sword. It didn't take long for him to realise that he was nowhere near as good as he thought he was.

_Wait, you thought you were good?,_ Vertigo asked in his mind as Tristan saw an image of his dragon dropping from the clouds and then rising up again. At the moment Saphira was teaching them how to manoeuvre properly in order to avoid enemy attacks and which heights were ideal for flying.

_Concentrate on your flying for now, little reptile_, Tristan said, not unkindly. He felt his dragon letting out a puff of smoke and then Tristan returned his attention to his sparring.

The Urgal had a unique fighting style - different from the ones he had encountered before - and combined with his immense strength and height, Tristan's hopes of beating him crushed to dust. The only thing he could do was to try and go behind him, and catch him unawares. However, this soon failed so he tried to only defend himself. Often, Octavian would walk by his side and make comments about his stance, correcting the position he had placed his feet or adjusting his grip on the wooden stick.

Kayla had been placed with a dwarven female rider and her inexperience was evident. Octavian must have spent most of his time coaching just her, although he did comment on Laer's and Rikon's fighting styles as well.

When the riders took a break and had their lunch - which again included mostly fruit and vegetables - Tristan had time to study the elves. There was no doubt that they were well suited for sparring and they must have had training from a young age. It would take him years, or rather decades to catch up with them.

Annoyed, he continued sparring with Grohn and in the process learned that the Urgal had trained from a young age to be a runner in the games that took place in Alagaesia every year. Instead he had become a rider but he longed to go back to watch the games and cheer for his friends and family members. Tristan did not know whether that would be possible.

After finishing their sparring they went to train with crossbows. This training did not differ much from what he had done with Buster and Grion and he realised that he was indeed good. He was not better than the elves, they could shoot moving targets as easy as if they were walking, but compared to the humans, urgals and dwarves - even some of the older ones - he was quite good.

When the sun started dropping in the horizon, Octavian told them that his lesson was done for today and they would need to return tomorrow for the same training. Tristan was tired but nowhere near as close to tired, as he had been yesterday and guessed that their lessons were over.

However, Adrian and Gwen took a different path from the one that led back to Glieonard and the dorms and told the riders to follow them. Tristan watched as the green valley gave its place to rocky land and then, there at the end of the stone hill, appeared to be a small hut. From the top of the stone hill, he could see the beach with the black sand they had landed on and he could make out the outline of some buildings, as well as a dock were a few ships rested.

As they grew closer to the circular, wooden hut Tristan realised that it wasn't big but neither small. It could not fit dragons but it could easily fit thirty humans.

Gwen raised her hand in the air and told the riders to wait and stay silent, while Adrian approached the hut slowly. He gently tapped the wooden door and then quickly run to the other side of the building but Tristan could not understand how he did so without making any noise.

The wooden door opened to reveal a small, old woman, with a face eased and lined like a dry, withered apple and white, shaggy hair with stiff bangs. Her eyes were closed and she held a wooden staff. Her right hand slightly shook as she took a step forward and then she smiled.

"Ah, young elf. Good try but I know exactly where you are" she said and her voice was almost a whisper.

Adrian appeared behind the wooden hut holding a small dagger but the old woman still had her eyes closed. She put her palm on top of her head and appeared even smaller than before. She was so defenceless and helpless that Tristan wanted to run to her side and protect her, even though he highly doubted he would be able to beat Adrian in a match.

He opened his mouth to say something, but Gwen pressed her hand over it and startled, Tristan watched Adrian attacking the woman as silent as a simile.

What happened afterwards took his breath away and he watched, stunned, as the old woman slid from the dagger's edge, her back turning in an unnatural angle for her age and kicked the dagger from Adrian's hand. The elf recoiled and went to pick it up but he was trying to counteract the woman's blows at the same time so he couldn't quite get to it.

The old woman was moving in such a way, that to an outsider, it would look like she was dancing. Her eyes were still closed and she was humming a melody while elegantly counteracting Adrian's blows. The elf was becoming tired, it appeared, and Tristan noticed an opening in his defense stance. The woman did not hesitate to take the opportunity and she jumped in the air, making a swirling turn in the process, picked the dagger and held it against the elf's throat.

"I win" she purred, smiling widely and revealing her edgy teeth.

She let Adrian go and he rubbed his neck and faced the riders.

"This is Maud and she is the Master of Agility" he said, introducing her to the riders. The old woman smiled politely.

"Indeed I am, although I am not a rider" she said and smiled again.

"There are a few creatures here, who are not riders, mostly elves and dwarves. They settled here, near the beach, when Eragon arrived and helped him make this island into what it is today although later the riders helped as well" Gwen further explained and Maud nodded, clapping her hands together.

"So true indeed!" she added.

"What is she?" Tristan whispered to Grohn, who stood close to him. The Urgal shrugged.

"They say she is a werecat although I am not so sure" he admitted.

"Now, now, stop mattering amongst yourselves and follow me inside, in my small hut" the woman purred again and the riders did what she told them.

Once inside, Tristan realized that only one side of the building was made out of wood. The other appeared to be made out of a translucent material the likes of which he had not seen before. He walked closer and run his finger over it. It was smooth.

"Take a pillow from your right" the woman said and Tristan saw her momentarily opening her eyes. They were the palest shade of grey but they were as clear and lively as the water which run down the snowy mountains.

"Now make yourselves comfortable" she instructed and arranged them in a way so that each rider had a distance of about a square from the other. Tristan looked at Kayla, Rikon and Laer who all appeared perplexed as they took their sits down on the wooden floor.

He sat in the most comfortable position he could think of, but which would also allow him to see what the woman and the rest of the riders were doing. Some riders had their whole body on the wooden floor and the pillows behind their heads.

From his position, Tristan could see the sun which was dropping further down in the horizon, close to where the sea was. He could also see some clouds and the edgy rocks that protruded from where they were.

"Now, take a deep breath in. And relax" she said, speaking softly. "Closing your eyes might help" she added and he followed her advice.

After a few moments the woman spoke again.

"Are you all comfortable enough?"

Everyone answered positively.

"Splendid!" she said clapping her hands again. "Then I guess you wouldn't mind staying in that position, completely still, for the next hour?"

The riders answered positively again although not all did so at the same time.

Tristan could feel the sun's rays on his skin and sense on which part of his body they were. This was his only way of keeping track of time as he felt his muscles wanting to twitch and was afraid of swallowing. He cursed himself for sitting cross-legged.

He did not know who the first to crumble was but Maud shook her head, disappointed. Tristan had his eyes closed, a solid choice as he wouldn't be allowed to blink if he had kept them open but he was curious to find out who it had been. After a few moments he heard Maud tsking again and this continued until the woman clapped her hands.

"Open your eyes, riders" she said and when Tristan did so he realised that all riders were sitting in the positions they had been before. The sun hadn't even dropped as much in the horizon as he had originally thought.

"Next time you will be better prepared to stay still longer. Most of you moved, even slightly. Now, we shall continue with the Dance of Snake and Crane or the Rimgar as the older riders and elves like to call it"

"Repeat after me" she said and brought her hands from the side to above her head. Then, she bent down, touched the ground with her palms and jumped back.

Tristan had trouble doing this and so did Rikon and his sister. Laer appeared to be more flexible. The elves were the best in this exercise again, compared to everyone else. Urgals, humans and dwarves looked clumsy when they were doing this exercise.

Maud tsked.

"Now, now, you can't be a fighter and a rider if you can't move your body in all the right angles. Yes, a rider must know how to wield a sword and a crossbow, and yes a rider must have stamina but where would you be if you moved your body like a rock? At the bottom of the mountain!" she said and jumped in the air, doing a backflip.

"There are four levels in the Rimgar and you cannot progress to the next one if you don't master the one you are in already. The first action was what we did today. I expect you to have mastered this move by the end of autumn" she said and purred once again, slowly walking to the outside of her hut.

Once she was outside, Rikon turned to Tristan.

"I swear vegetables and fruits do not agree with my stomach. And having to sit in one position for this long without moving, certainly did not help... "the dwarf was saying, blushing.

Tristan burst out in a fit of laughter and earned the perplexed glances of the riders, especially Adrian's. The elf looked at him, with his usual air of superiority.

After finishing the Rimgar, they returned to their dorms to have supper there, instead of the Grand Hall. Their dragons landed near their structures. Aiedail had a goat in her mouth, Onyx a shark and Vertigo some fish.

_We managed to smuggle some meat. Roast it if you want, we have had enough,_ Onyx said in the riders' minds and Tristan nodded to him, appreciatively. It was interesting how Onyx had both a deep and melodic voice.

Somehow Rikon was able to get out of his dorm and brought along with him the dwarven girl, Maurine, who had been sparring before with Kayla. Maurine had short, hazelnut coloured hair, white skin and rosy cheeks. She was very shy but as they all started talking, she seemed to relax and she told them she had been picked as a rider only last year.

Maurine talked more with Kayla while Laer, Tristan and Rikon talked more amongst themselves but that didn't matter, because as soon as the meat had roasted and they brought out the vegetables and fruit they were all in a cheery mood, looking at the dark sky and hearing the occasional growl of a dragon.

_Being a rider suits you_, Vertigo commented and Tristan smiled.

_It is what I have always wanted to be._

**A/N: Don't forget to leave reviews :)! Next chapter will be called First Time... And this is all I am saying for now... Until next week, enjoy!**


	25. First Time

**First time**

Two weeks had passed since they arrived on Dis Atilan and the young riders had fallen into an easy rhythm.

They would wake up every day, just before the sun rose and they would run for a couple of hours all together. Training at swords and bows with Octavian came next and then the riders would be split into smaller groups. Some older riders would train with magic, others would be taught history and the ancient language and others would join their dragons in flying. At the end of the day all riders would join again, to do the Rimgar.

Laer and Rikon could already fly with their dragons while Tristan eagerly awaited his own turn and Kayla was indifferent. Absentmindedly he was drawing patterns of wings on his parchment paper which earned him a smack at the back of his head.

"Attention, young rider!" the dwarven master of history and ancient language said and Tristan raised his head only to find the eyes of Grohn, Laer, Rikon, Kayla and Maurine looking at him.

They were in the library, sitting on wooden desks and writing the ancient language symbols. He sighed.

"What is the symbol for the sound 'ah'? Who was the King of Alagaesia before Galbatorix?" the dwarven master, named Mirin, asked.

Tristan felt his mind going blanc.

_Is it cheating if I tell you?,_ Vertigo asked.

_You know the answer? Tell me!,_ Tristan demanded.

The dragon thought about it.

_No, it's your lesson._

_Cruel._

_Oh, why, thank you,_ Vertigo replied and then Tristan felt the dragon's consciousness slipping further away.

He sighed.

"I don't know" he replied and as he expected, master Mirin looked at him disappointed.

"You will never progress to magic lessons if you cannot, at least, say some phrases and words in the Ancient Language" he warned and shook his head. "From now on, it is best to converse amongst yourselves using the Language of the elven kin rather than the common tongue"

Sighs of exasperation echoed around the room and their lesson continued. Even though Tristan found sparring, archery and even the Rimgar exciting, history lessons were nothing but boring to him. Rikon and Laer on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying them, while Kayla was indifferent to them and everything else.

When the lesson came to an end he was happy to leave the library and head to Maud's wooden hut. It was quite relaxing to look at the sun setting every evening as he concentrated on staying still and then completing the first stage of Rimgar.

On their way back to their dorms he saw Vertigo sitting atop a big oak tree. He found it strange not to see the rest of the dragons with him.

_What are you doing?,_ he asked his grey-blue dragon.

Vertigo smirked and moved his wings, which glittered silver.

_Waiting for you._

Perplexed Tristan headed to his dragon's direction.

"I will catch up with you guys, later" he said to Laer and Kayla when the two riders shot him questioning looks.

He run to where the tall oak tree was and was happy to find that he did not need to catch his breath when he stopped.

_How are you able to stand on top of the tree and not fall?,_ he asked his dragon who looked down. At that moment, Vertigo very much reminded him of a tiger waiting for its prey, as he moved his dark blue tail from side to side.

_Wait… You think only the riders have to practise agility? Our lessons do not involve just flying, you know. You should pay more attention_, Vertigo said and smirked.

_I pay attention… But only at the exciting parts…_

_Like flying?,_ his dragon asked.

_Exactly_, Tristan nodded.

Vertigo moved his tail again and Tristan studied the dragon. He had grown more during their time here but his shape was different to other dragons. Onyx and Fiord were rounder around their belly while Vertigo was long and lean almost like Aiedail and Adrian's dragon. His wings had grown as well and he noticed that feathers covered the top part of them while a thin silver membrane was at the bottom.

His dragon wasn't the only one who had changed. Tristan was changing as well. His body was leaner, stronger and more agile than before, his ears were starting to get pointy and his wavy, dirty blond hair had grown, now reaching his chin. It was annoying to train when it was falling in front of his eyes but instead of cutting it, he had decided to fashion it into thick bangs and braids.

He moved one braid to the side and looked at Vertigo again, who was studying him carefully.

_What?,_ he asked perplexed.

_Are you not going to join me?_

_You mean to the top of the tree?_

_For starters, yes,_ Vertigo said and chuckled. Tristan sighed and started climbing on the tree, holding tightly on the strong branches.

As soon as he reached the place where Vertigo was, he looked down. Even though there wasn't such a big distance from him to the ground he felt his blood going cold.

The dragon looked at him, an amused expression on his face.

_You can sit on my back, you know_, Vertigo said and Tristan realised what the dragon had in mind.

He felt his heart racing inside his chest and jumped on the dragon's back, trying to contain his excitement.

_Are you ready?_ Vertigo asked as Tristan pressed his thighs around the dragon's neck at the spot just above his back.

_Yes_, he replied unsteadily and felt the dragon flexing his wings and walking to the edge of the tree.

_Prepare yourself!,_ Vertigo shouted as he let go of the tree and dropped to the ground. At the last minute he opened his silver wings and rose to the sky.

He wasn't going fast but Tristan held on tightly, regardless. As they rose higher he could see the landscape of the island and the buildings around. It was a beautiful sight to behold, as green gave way to grey and then red as they flew close to the volcano.

Tristan dared to look inside and saw the dark blood red liquid boiling. He held tighter. Often a sense of dizziness would overcome him if he looked down for too long, but then he would concentrate on the dragon's scales instead and it would pass.

The inside of his thighs started aching as the skin of his legs rubbed against Vertigo's rough scales.

Suddenly the dragon decided to increase their speed. Whereas before they were flying in a leisurely pace, now he was flapping his wings fast and Tristan could feel the whoosh of air. They passed the edge of the highest mountain so fast and so close that Tristan had been certain Vertigo would slice his lower body against it. Instead of decreasing his speed though, the dragon only went faster and faster.

_Vertigo! _

_Hmm?_

_I think you might be going a bit too fast…_

_Ha! Nonsense!,_ he said and quickly ducked to the side only to correct his course seconds later. This was however enough for Tristan to almost slip from the dragon's back and he held on Vertigo's thorns tightly. His face must have paled and his stomach lurched as he swallowed bile.

_Oops,_ the dragon said as Tristan saw the landscape soaring past him in a speed he was sure was not ordinary, even for creatures of the air.

_I think… I think we need to stop_, Tristan whispered as he felt bile rising in his throat again.

_Okay,_ Vertigo simply said and just like that, he faced the ground, put his wings against his back and fell.

Tristan would have screamed if he could but they were dropping in such a fast rate that he could only gawk.

The land rushed to meet them but just at the last moment Vertigo extended his wings and rose upwards. They floated in a straight line for a few moments before the dragon landed back on land.

Tristan crumbled on the earth and puked at least three times before he rose again. The feeling of vertigo still clung to him but he tried to ignore it.

Vertigo winked at him.

_It was good wasn't it?_

_I believe we have a different definition of the word good. _

The dragon chuckled and Tristan wiped his mouth.

_Do you always fly in this way?_

_If I get the chance, yes._

_Can you try for a steadier ride, next time?_

_I can try but I am not making any promises._

Tristan tsked and shook his head as another wave of vertigo came to him and he threw up.

_Why, oh why did I have to name you like this?,_ Tristan asked both himself and the dragon.

_Hey, I have a beautiful name! Besides, it's not my fault that you are afraid of heights_, he said defensively.

Tristan groaned.

_You were not supposed to find out!_

_Yes and you did an amazing job of hiding it from me,_ Vertigo said and chuckled again. Then he looked at him sternly. _Seriously though, you need to protect your thoughts better. Try to remember what you get taught in the agility, ancient language and history lessons as well. They might come in handy at some point._

_Doubtful,_ Tristan said and smiled lazily.

_Do you want to learn how to use magic?_

_Of course._

_Then you need to progress to the next level._

_At the moment I can't even lift a rock. Kayla lifted a whole river, Rikon has been doing great and even Laer managed to get a rock to tremble slightly the other day. When I look at a rock it does nothing for me_, Tristan said and sighed exasperated.

_Maybe you are not trying hard enough._

_Yes, because it's boring._

_You have your answer then._

As Vertigo flew back to the human dorms, Tristan mulled over his thoughts.

_Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will try harder,_ he promised both to himself and Vertigo.

…

"_Stenr Reisa_" Laer said gently to the rock he was holding in his right hand. The object trembled and then rose.

Satisfied he placed the rock back onto the ground.

"Was that the first time you managed to get it to rise?" Kayla asked, curious, her hair falling in front of her eyes. Annoyed she pulled it back and tied it into a ponytail.

They were having supper outside of the human dorm and they were alone, since Tristan had decided to stay with Vertigo and Gwen and Gas were busy running some errands. Usually they had supper with other riders as well, like Rikon, Maurine and Grohn. The last two had only been in Dis Atilan a year, so they were closer to them in terms of both training and age. Maurine was sweet and shy and Kayla had taken an instant liking to the girl.

When they sparred, Maurine was gentler than the rest of the riders as well. However she still beat Kayla every time as the human knew nothing about swords, arrows or wrestling.

"Indeed. I am guessing you have not tried using magic?" Laer asked her, bringing her back from her trail of thoughts. A wind blew a few hair strands in front of his eyes.

Kayla shivered, even though the wind wasn't cold. Autumn was approaching and the temperatures were dropping but they were still able to sit outside. Lower temperatures and a few clouds also helped in terms of running because the sun wasn't always burning their skin.

Laer tied his straight, black hair into a ponytail and Kayla noticed his ears had sharp angles, almost like elven ears. He noticed her looking at him and he smiled.

"So?" he asked again, bringing her back from her thoughts.

"Yes, you are correct, I have not practised any magic. Until the times comes when we will have magic lessons I don't think it's necessary for me to practise" she replied and looked at the sky.

She noticed that the moon was half full and clouds were hiding part of it.

Laer laughed and she looked at him surprised. She wasn't sure she had ever heard him laugh.

"A bit overconfident?" he asked her but not unkindly. Kayla shook her head.

"I did not mean it in this way. I just don't want to use magic if I don't have to" she replied.

Laer studied her for a few seconds. Somewhere, above them, Aiedail and Onyx were flying as well, repeating what they had learnt from their lessons.

"In the same way that you won't talk to Aiedail, or won't spar or won't study the Ancient Language unless you have to" he replied and for a brief moment Kayla was surprised by his insight.

She looked at him and for a second his eyes appeared golden rather than black. Then he looked away.

"It's something you don't like, I can tell, but at least make an effort" he said and picked the rock he had been holding before.

"Why?" Kayla asked him, her tone serious. She desperately wanted a reason why she should be doing any of this. She did not like it and it was just something she had to do, a chore.

"We only get one chance in life, Kayla. Do you want to spend the rest of yours doing something just because you have to?"

She stayed silent for a bit.

"There must be something you enjoy, even a little, in your training" he added and smiled to her.

Kayla looked at the sky again, thoughtful.

"I like magic. I like the feeling of it, of using it, even though I know it's dangerous" she replied and bit her lower lip.

"Magic is a weapon and a tool like a sword. Everything in the wrong hands and without the proper amount of training can turn deadly. But if you practise…" he said and passed her the rock he had been holding "…then you can do the most amazing things"

Laer had been holding another rock and he whispered the words of the ancient language. The rock rose.

Kayla stared at her rock and then repeated the words, closing her eyes. She felt the flow of energy but this time she did not stop it and welcomed it. The energy was like a tendril, moving and dancing, taking the shape she wanted it to.

"Open your eyes, Kayla. Slowly" Laer whispered in her ear and as she did so, she noticed that not only her rock had risen but also all the rocks that were around them in a five meter radiance.

A feeling of terror begun to seize her but Laer put his hands over her shoulders.

"Shh...Trust in your abilities. Gently" he said and Kayla took in a deep breath of air. The rocks remained were they were.

"Now release your hold on magic. Slowly" he said and she did exactly that, watching the rocks return to their previous position. When they were on the ground she let herself relax and realised with satisfaction that not only had she managed to have complete control over the magic but also she did not feel drained afterwards.

"I did it" she simply said and looked at Laer who was smiling back to her. "How did you know what things I needed to do in order…?"

Someone was running to the human dorm and they both turned their attention towards it. Tristan stopped, only a few centimetres away from them and then puked on the side.

Kayla rose from her sit and looked at him, concerned. He shook his head quickly.

"First flight? Not fun" he replied as they heard Vertigo's satisfied growl.

**A/N: Don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav, you know the drill! It will only take a minute and keep me going :) !**


	26. Lesson 3: Flying

**Lesson 3: Flying**

**A/N: Thanks for your reviews on the previous chapter :)! Whoever the Guest Review was from, know that you put a big smile on my face! I know these chapters might be going a bit slower in terms of events but I promise the pace will increase soon! (Also AryaxEragon, MurtaghxNasuada chapters will be coming soon as well!)**

Fall had settled in turning the green leaves of some trees to yellow and red. Rain showers were now common. If Tristan had thought that running in the heat was tough, running in the rain was a lot harder. It made his clothes stick to his skin, chilled his bones and turned the mud slippery, leaving much room for mistakes and slipping.

The time they run each morning had not increased but the distance they covered, had. Today, when the young riders reached the clearing in which they sparred, they didn't even need to catch their breath.

"We are getting better at this" he said happily to Rikon who nodded.

"Indeed you are, but today we shall do something different and change the usual groups you practise in. Today you will spar with someone who is more or less experienced than you" Octavian said and smiled widely, showing them an array of straight, white teeth.

The Master of Sparring moved around them, pointing at certain people, pausing, then rearranging them, then pausing again. After everyone was in groups he looked at his students with a satisfied expression.

"Now remember. Try to be easy on your opponent but, without, however, being too easy on them. Sparring should never be easy" he said and smiled again.

Tristan looked at his opponent who was no one else than Adrian. The elf pressed his lips together and Tristan wasn't sure what to make of his expression. Octavian gave Adrian a wooden sword which the elf looked at with a grimace of distaste.

Other sparring groups included May and Kayla, then Maya and Maurine and Laer and Gas.

Tristan felt something touching his shoulder and he turned around to see Adrian glaring at him. He was in a fighting position, his legs apart and slightly kneeling to the ground while on his right hand he held the sword.

"There are things I need to attend to later on, so if you don't mind…" he said in an almost polite tone.

Tristan nodded and went into fighting stance as well. They started circling each other until he decided to make the first move. Adrian moved to the side, counteracting his blow and managing in the process to kick the sword from Tristan's hands. His fighting style reminded Tristan of Maud's but the elf wasn't at the same level just yet, even though no one could deny he was very good.

Adrian motioned to him to pick up his word. Tristan did just that, but this time he waited until the elf attacked first. It made no difference to the battle's outcome, however, as Adrian made an intricate move, pressed his hand in a spot just above Tristan's arm and Tristan dropped the sword.

Their fight continued but it was pointless since Tristan had no way of beating the elf. It did not matter whether Tristan attacked first or not, the result would still be the same. Sometimes he got hit in the ribs, other times in the chin. He hated Adrian for this, because he was certain the elf could easily beat him without causing him injuries.

They weren't fighting long but Adrian suddenly dropped the wooden sword on the ground.

"Come on, pick it up" Tristan said to the elf but Adrian looked at him in a solemn manner and shook his head.

"I don't need to" he replied in an almost arrogant tone.

Tristan attacked him but the elf somehow blocked him and wriggled away from his reach. He hit Tristan at the side with a punch and then smiled.

Tristan coughed and narrowed his eyes at the elf. This time Adrian attacked first and again Tristan was thrown on the ground, mud covering his trousers.

The elf turned his back to him and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Tristan demanded. Adrian did not give him a reply just walked to Octavian's side and whispered something to the Master of Sparring. Octavian shook his head and Adrian walked back.

Adrian's lips had formed a tight line and this time he hit Tristan with what appeared to be full strength. Tristan was trying very hard to counteract his blows but it wasn't working. Bruises were already covering his whole body and at some point he started spitting blood.

"Enough" Octavian said and walked to their side. He looked at Adrian sternly. The elf's hair hadn't even moved from its usual position.

Octavian helped Tristan up.

Tristan coughed and then realised that every one of the students was looking at him. Gwen was sitting at a corner, her black hair in a ponytail and he couldn't discern much from her expression. He felt embarrassed and ashamed and tried to clean his dirty hands on his shirt but then thought better of it.

Adrian was looking very smug at that moment and Tristan wished he could punch him.

_You need more training, that's all_, Vertigo said in his mind and Tristan saw his dragon biting the tail of Adrian's dragon, who let out a small moan.

Adrian's eyebrows pressed together and Tristan managed a small smile.

"Riders… Stop fighting amongst yourselves! You are here to train in order to be able to fight the real enemy. Five riders have been sent back to Alagaesia to protect the people there and give _them_ and _you_ a chance. I expect more from you" Octavian said in a serious tone, his arms crossing over his chest and his muscles flexing.

Adrian nodded and Tristan looked on the ground.

"I apologise ebrithil. I know how much is at stake" the elf said, moving to the back of the group and at that moment he appeared to be in regret.

Kayla, Rikon and Laer quickly walked to where Tristan was, with Kayla pushing her way through, a concerned expression on her face.

"Are you all right?" Rikon asked and Tristan quickly nodded but his friends still looked troubled.

"Your lesson is done for today, riders. I hear that you have other lessons to attend to" Octavian said and smiled to them, showing them once again his white array of teeth.

"Does he mean the Rimgar? It's way too early for that" Rikon said, looking at the sun, which was not even in the middle of the sky yet.

"No, we are going to have a flying lesson today" Gwen said as she approached them and kneeled next to Tristan. Her expert fingers traced the edges of some of his cuts and bruises and he tried not to wince in pain. A black curl fell in front of her face and Tristan felt his breath quickening.

_Excited?,_ Vertigo asked in a teasing manner.

_For flying, yes!,_ Tristan replied but Vertigo smirked.

_And for other things as well, I guess. Like the pretty human rider next to you_, the dragon said and Tristan tried not to blush.

"So I think that sums up the fact I need more training" he said casually, trying to make a joke out of his situation and smiling to Gwen.

She whispered some words over his wounds in the ancient language and Tristan felt the pain lessening. He watched his flesh stitching back together and where cuts, blood and bruises stood before, now there was only smooth skin.

"Or maybe someone just needs to be a bit more gentle next time" the human dorm master said, eyeing Adrian who was doing something else at the moment.

"Maybe I will be put in the same group as you next time so you will be able to teach me better!" Tristan said and smiled to her.

He did not expect her to smile back but she did.

"Maybe" she replied and led the riders down a path they had not previously taken. All the young riders were in the group apart from Adrian.

"Where did Adrian go?" Kayla asked and looked behind her shoulder.

"He said he had some business to attend to" Tristan said and waved his hand.

"He appeared to be quite troubled today. Maybe this is why he was behaving in such a manner" Laer replied.

"Is that not how he always behaves?" Tristan asked, rising an eyebrow and smiling in irony.

Ahead of them Maya and May were laughing amongst themselves at what appeared to be an inside joke.

"Aye, but elves are peculiar I am telling you" Rikon said, looking at the twin girls and started scratching the beginnings of a new beard.

Soon they reached a hill which overlooked the valley in which the riders' dorms and Glieonard were. Their dragons were waiting for them and Eragon and Saphira were there as well.

"Riders, welcome. Ride your dragons. The elves and the dwarves of the shore have gifted us with leather saddles. They are already strapped on your dragons' back. In time you will learn how to make these yourselves but for now it's time to fly!" he said and rode Saphira.

Tristan run to Vertigo's side and admired the leather, smooth saddle.

_Let's hope my legs will be okay at the end of this. Last time we flew I had to bandage them three times!,_ he said.

_We shall see. And if not, I am sure the human rider won't mind healing them_, Vertigo said and he almost smirked.

Tristan ignored the burning sensation on his cheeks and climbed onto the saddle, using one of Vertigo's thorns for support. In the last couple of weeks, he and Vertigo had flown together as often as they could and Tristan was slowly starting to get over his fear of heights.

The rest of the riders were on their dragons as well, all apart from one.

"Kayla, will you not join us today?" Eragon asked the girl and she looked at him and then Aiedail, who was pacing impatiently.

"I will wait here" she answered calmly and Eragon's brows pulled together, a sad expression on his face.

"You will attend Mirin's class for history lessons then and Aiedail will join us for flying. Your day cannot go to waste" he said in a more serious tone.

Tristan was surprised by the fact that Eragon was not pushing his sister to ride her dragon. It probably would not be right but still he did not understand his sister's behaviour and he was certain that once she flew with Aiedail she would change her mind about being a dragon rider.

"This, I can do" Kayla replied and took the path back to Glieonard and the dorms.

Gwen and her dragon, a copper coloured male named Saturn, walked next to where he was.

"I think you should talk to your sister once we get back. I am a dorm master, this is true, but I do not think I could persuade her to be more open. No matter what troubles her it is not good to abandon her relationship with her dragon" she said and pointed to Aiedail, who was waiting impatiently for them to fly and swinging her tail from side to side as smoke was rising from her nostrils.

"I know" Tristan said and sighed as the dragons took off.

Flying with so many dragons around him was an amazing, exhilarating and slightly scary experience so he soon forgot about Kayla and her dragon problems. Sometimes, Laer and Rikon would fly close to him and they would start conversations about the most obscure things. Soon though, it became apparent that flying was not all fun, but business too.

Eragon was instructing them on how to keep their balance and how to do intricate moves while flying on their dragons. The last part was particularly scary as they had to walk on the saddle while flying at least 5 km above land. Even the older riders and elves were not completely confident when walking on the saddle so Tristan took courage from that and tried his best.

Saturn was flying next to him and Gwen seemed unsure whenever she walked to her dragon's head and back.

"Try to keep your feet closer!" Tristan shouted at her but she rose her eyebrows. Saturn flew closer to them.

"What?" she asked.

"Feet, closer!" he told her again and as she did so she regained a bit more balance. She smiled to herself.

"Thanks!" she shouted back, sounding surprised.

"It's all about the toes. You just place your right toe in front, keeping your strength on this one and then…" Tristan said but then he started losing his balance. His upper body was wobbling and in that moment both his legs shot up in the air and he landed on his saddle with just his lower body.

"Orgh" he moaned and his eyes snapped shut.

_Stop trying to show off. You are making a fool of ourselves_, Vertigo groaned.

_Maybe if you were flying in a straighter line this wouldn't have happened_, Tristan replied.

_Hey, don't blame this on me!_, the dragon argued.

Gwen was smiling and Saturn flew closer to them.

"Are you okay?" she asked him and Tristan nodded.

"Just an unstable landing, that's all" he replied, smiling back.

_An unstable landing happened when he was a baby, actually_, Vertigo said, speaking to Gwen's and Saturn's minds.

The human rider and dragon laughed while Tristan tried to casually smile back.

_Riders, follow the flying pattern_, Eragon said, speaking to the riders' minds.

Tristan nodded and to his disappointment was placed further back, away from Gwen but close to Rikon and Laer.

_Hope he asks us to race today_, Vertigo whispered in his mind.

_That would be quite interesting actually. Shall we place bets on who will fall from their saddle?, _Tristan asked.

_Cruel, but I like it. My first guess… You_, Vertigo said happily.

They continued playing the guessing game but in the end they did not race and simply landed back to the hill they had started on and walked to Maud's shed to do the Rimgar and then to their dorms for sleep.

It was an exhilarating day but he was happy to be back in his bed.

_What do you think of Gwen?,_ he asked Vertigo.

The dragon yawned.

_All humans appear the same to me. You obviously find her interesting enough, however, _he replied.

Tristan stayed silent for a bit but then couldn't keep himself from asking another question.

_Do you think she sees me as cool and handsome? _

_She probably sees you as a clumsy baboon._

_Seriously?_

_Goodnight, Tristan._

….

Murtagh looked at his fellow riders. One was an elf, the other a dwarf, then a human and last an urgal. They appeared well trained and experienced.

Yet he would rather be alone with Thorn.

_It's just for a bit,_ the dragon said in a reassuring tone.

_I better hope so_, the red rider replied.

He stared at the black markings left on the trees in the forest. They were the same as the ones made from the shadown wyrms' black liquid jets.

_We always arrive too late. The enemy seems to be one step ahead of us,_ he said annoyed and punched the bark of a tree, leaving a mark.

_There are signs of battle_, Melor said.

_But no dead bodies_, Stoic added.

_Whoever was here was either killed or taken_, Ingrid, the female human rider said.

Murtagh was certain that they had been taken, but he did not want to say so to the riders. They probably guessed as much already, but in the short time he had been with them he knew that Stoic, had had a close relationship with one of the riders that had disappeared in Alagaesia and he didn't want to spark the Urgal's anger just yet.

_They did not attack further into the elven territory. We should inform the riders_, the elf said.

Murtaugh watched as the elven rider, Findet, whispered some words on top of a water puddle and the face of a young elven male rider appeared. He was surrounded by some of the elder riders but his anxiety was evident. He probably hadn't been with the elves long enough to know how to conceal his emotions.

"The elven territory appears to be intact. They only attacked at the outskirts of the forest" Findet said.

The elven male instantly relaxed.

"You can head back to your dorms now, Adrian" one of the elders said and as soon as the young elf left, Findet talked to them about the rest of the things they had found. What worried them the most was that the wyrms had managed to come very close to Du Weldenvarden. Even Galbatorix had known well enough to stay away from the elven territory.

Murtaugh was playing with the end of a wooden stick when he felt the familiar feeling of dread and horror settling over him.

_Prepare yourselves!,_ he shouted into the riders' minds just as a giant shadow wyrm appeared.

**Again, don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav! **


	27. Ramirblaka

**Ramirlblaka**

Winter was quickly approaching, the temperatures were dropping and the riders were preparing. Food supplies were kept near the Grand Hall and wood was cut for fires although with all the dragons around, this was not always necessary. The fact that they got warm water from the hot springs under the volcano also helped with the morning chills.

Kayla had her head under the water and her cheeks were flaming but she enjoyed it. Maybe it was a repercussion from all her energy usage during the Shade's attack but she needed the almost boiling water to bathe every single day. It also helped her muscles relax and it was nice to be alone with her thoughts. Even for a little while.

Her daily schedule had not changed much during the last month compared to the rest of the riders. During most afternoons they practiced flying while she did history, sparring and ancient language lessons. History and Ancient Language lessons were a mere repeat of what she had done with the previous riders and she was certain it was an indirect punishment from Eragon for her denial to ride Aiedail.

Tristan had tried talking to her, saying how much she would enjoy flying and she had listened to him but had still said no. Laer had also tried talking to her and even though he had a way of making her see things from his perspective, she had still said no. She still remembered the conversation they had had though. The one about getting only one shot at life.

Indeed, she had started enjoying sparring, history, Rimgar, Ancient Language lessons and the most recent lessons on saddle making but that didn't mean she was going to ride Aiedail anytime soon. She understood everyone's feelings and opinions, she understood Aiedail's distaste and anger but she could simply not bring herself to doing this. Too many dark memories sparked whenever she opened herself to the dragon.

The thing she enjoyed most of all, however, was magic. Even though they had yet to have any lessons on the topic she practiced by herself every evening after the end of her additional trainings, while the riders were flying. She was becoming quite good at controlling the energy flow. At the moment she was trying very hard to reduce the energy usage as much as possible so that only one small rock rose and only for a few centimetres. She had tried using magic in other ways as well and the fact that she was slowly becoming fluent in the Ancient Language was helping a lot. Her favourite spell was to have grass and flowers grow. Even though winter was imminent, she could still make summer flowers bloom.

Her need for air made her rise to the water's surface, where steam rose. She touched her cheeks which were aflame and decided it was time to exit the bath tub. Somewhere at the back of her mind she felt Aiedail stirring.

Kayla put on her usual training kit, leather pants and a linen shirt but also added a vest on top to protect her from the cold.

She rushed to the storage room to find Tristan and Laer already there.

"…and then Vertigo dived to the side! Did you see Adrian's expression? I am sure he must have hated that!" Tristan said to Laer, sounding pleased with himself as he dove into a bag of apples.

"Good morning, Kayla" Laer said, noticing her presence and she nodded to him and her brother in acknowledgement.

"Today we are offering porridge, honey and fruits" Tristan said pointing at the food.

"Porridge and honey" she replied and went to serve herself while Gwen and Gas walked into the room.

"May I offer you a bowl of delicious porridge and hand-kneaded bread with jam, honey or fruits, my lady?" Tristan said to Gwen, smiling widely at her. The human rider smiled and said something in return while Kayla rose her eyebrows.

"My lady?" she whispered to Laer who was closer to her.

The rider shook his head and smiled.

"Long story. It started a few weeks ago during our flying lessons" he said.

"Oh" Kayla replied and she looked at her brother and Gwen, slightly perplexed.

After breaking their fast they headed to their usual spot near the volcano to train. Today it was cold, rainy and windy. Whatever heat she had acquired from her steaming hot bath, was slowly abandoning her.

When they finished their run she felt a lot warmer and Octavian continued with his sparring lessons. For the time being, Octavian enjoyed putting them in different groups every day, but she always lost in the sparring matches. In the beginning she hadn't cared much, but now it had started bothering her that everyone was better than her.

Today she was put to spar against her brother. He smiled at her.

"Ready, little sister?" he asked and she rose an eyebrow. A few months ago she would have laughed if someone told her that she and her brother would be dragon riders and spar for real rather than play fight.

Now, she did not think of it as a joke.

"Let's do this!" she said and they started landing blows on each other. She was following Octavian's advice and moves, but still, she lost in the end. It hadn't even been a close match.

When they continued with archery lessons, she realised that her aim was improving, but it was nowhere near as good as Tristan's. By the end of the lesson the weather had changed and the clouds had all but disappeared, so the riders were sent off for flying lessons. Every rider was excited today, because they would visit Ramirblaka, the island of the wild dragons. Kayla was simply excited to practise magic.

She gave a quick glance at the riders and Aiedail's piercing glare and then headed to the library in Glieonard to meet Mirin.

…

Eragon had been promising them for weeks now that they would visit Ramirblaka. Today was supposed to be the day but when Tristan had seen the weather he knew the plan would be cancelled again. When the skies had cleared up, however, he run to the hill with the rest of the riders, excitement coursing through his veins. He put the saddle on Vertigo and pulled the straps tightly. An elf, named Bloghgarm, had shown him how to make and put a saddle on a dragon, only a few weeks ago and he always tried to be careful when tightening the straps. Rikon had almost slipped from Fiord's back the previous week because he hadn't pulled the straps tightly enough.

"Forty six seconds!" he shouted when he was done.

"Forty six? You are slow. I did it in forty" Rikon replied from his right hand side.

"We saw how that ended for you last week though" Tristan said and rose an eyebrow.

"It's hard for someone of my size to do this properly" the dwarf replied annoyed.

"So… How tall are you again? If you were standing next to turtle would the turtle be taller than you?" Tristan asked him.

Rikon shot him an irritated expression and Tristan smiled.

"That depends on the turtle. And I have told you before I am actually quite tall for a dwarf!"

"Sure… And I am Eragon Shadeslayer!" Tristan shouted, smiling widely.

Someone tapped his shoulder and he turned around to see Eragon. The rider did not smile and Tristan swallowed.

"Actually, I am Eragon. Now, ride your dragons if you want to get to Ramirblaka today. Don't forget it's quite a long way away…" he said.

"I did it in thirty eight seconds" Gwen whispered from behind them as she rode her bronze coloured dragon.

"Thirty five" Laer replied.

"I am impressed, young rider" she said and smiled to Laer. Tristan felt his heart twist a little bit. He went to say something but Vertigo took off before he was able to.

_Come on, I want to see the wild dragons for myself! Either say something to the human female or let her be. Your thoughts and fantasies are so mingled together that they bother and excite me at the same time,_ his dragon said and made a steep turn.

Tristan held on tightly as Vertigo followed Saphira's lead. Clear skies extended ahead of them.

_I can't help it_, he replied and the dragon groaned.

_Just do what dragons do. If you want to mate with her, approach her. If she says yes then all is good if she says no find another female. _

_Humans and dragons behave quite differently,_ Tristan replied, smiling.

_Yes, you make everything so much more complicated than it needs to be_!, he said just as he passed Adrian and his dragon with a smug expression.

The dragon and the elf tried to catch up with them but Vertigo was going too fast.

_Keep your strength, dragons. You will need it for your return_, Eragon advised and Vertigo slowed down until he was near Saturn and Onyx.

Laer and Gwen were talking amongst themselves while Adrian was riding near them. He glanced once at Tristan's direction and then quickly looked away while his dragon let out a small puff of smoke.

_Annoying elf_, he thought and Vertigo agreed.

They were soon able to see the outlines of mountains and hear the growls of dragons.

"We are close!" Rikon shouted excited.

As soon as he said that, dragons appeared in the distance. Their colours had the colours of the rainbows but their scales were dirty, almost un-kept and their appearance had a rough edge.

_Eka fricai un Shur'tugalar!,_ Eragon said in everybody's minds. We are riders and friends.

The wild dragons approached them and at that moment they looked just that. Wild.

Tristan could start to understand why the people in Alagaesia had been terrified of dragons for this long. He even understood why the elves had fought against them. They were large, deadly, terrifying creatures.

The biggest dragon of the group, a brass coloured male approached them.

_Eragon. We did not expect you_, a voice sounded but it did not come from the male in front of them. It felt as if more than one consciousness was talking to them and Tristan realised that it was the Eldunari.

_Did Umaroth not tell you?,_ Eragon inclined.

The brass coloured male flapped his wings and started circling them. Saphira was slightly smaller than him and regarded him with an air of caution. The rest of the dragons and riders stood behind her.

_We have not had contact with the Eldunari on Dis Atilan_, the voice replied and some dragons started circling them. There were more wild dragons than riders, or so it appeared, and the ages and sizes of them ranged.

_Your flight must have been long, young dragons. You can rest on land, _the same voice added.

Tristan looked at Eragon then at Rikon and Laer. Rikon raised his hands in the air in bewilderment.

_Land, young riders and dragons. I have some business to attend to_, Eragon said and Tristan saw the sapphire dragon moving quickly towards the island, Ramirblanka.

Gas was the first to fly to the island, earning the glances of both the wild and tame dragons. His dragon was a female and she landed near a lake where she gulped big mouthfuls of water.

_Shall we join him?,_ Tristan asked when Vertigo didn't follow the human's lead.

_I have flown to Ramirblanka, the wild dragon island, just to rest? I don't think so… I intend to explore!,_ Vertigo said, excited and flew straight towards the mountains.

Fiord followed them while Onyx and Saturn landed near the lake.

_Are you sure it's a good idea?, _Tristan asked, making one more try but his dragon would not change his mind so easily.

Aiedail was flying somewhere above them as well and Tristan could hear the whoosh of air from all the wings flapping.

Some wild dragons came extremely close to him while he and Vertigo explored the area but Vertigo seemed unaffected. Sometimes he would sniff the air, interested and change his course.

_There are not many females here,_ Vertigo said, puzzled.

_Should there have been more?,_ Tristan asked just as his dragon did an intricate turn and missed a dark brown dragon by a few inches. The creature let out a loud growl and Vertigo quickly flew back. Somewhere near them, Tristan could see Adrian and his dragon flying.

_Don't go too close to them. They seem more agitated than usual_, the elf warned in his mind and shot him a concerned expression.

_Do you think you can fly fast enough to lose Adrian?,_ Tristan asked Vertigo, annoyed to be followed around by the elf.

His dragon hmphed.

_Of course!_

Indeed, they flew fast towards some caves in the mountains, where Tristan noticed more dragons. The creatures started growling loudly when they saw them approaching and Tristan had to squint his eyes to see what they were guarding.

_Eggs!_

Another growl sounded, one which was a lot closer than the female dragons guarding their eggs, and Tristan looked up to see the jaws of a copper dragon.

Its talons scratched Vertigo's scales and his dragon let out a moan and started flying faster.

_Are you okay?,_ Tristan asked, startled by the attack, and looked behind him to see the bronze creature trying to bite Vertigo's tail. He held tightly on Vertigo's thorns and cursed his luck for not bringing any weapons with him.

His dragon was flapping his wings fast, appearing alarmed. A mahogany dragon appeared from their right hand side and with its talons grabbed part of the other dragon's tail. The creature stopped chasing them and Tristan saw Adrian.

_Run, you stupid human!,_ the elf said as he tried to push the other dragon back.

_Vertigo?,_ Tristan asked again and his dragon landed next to the lake where Saturn and Onyx where. Tristan slid from his dragon's back and went to check the wounds.

_It doesn't hurt much_, the dragon said just as Tristan noticed blood gushing from a spot beneath his left wing.

"What happened?" Gwen asked and run to them. Laer was next to her and touched Onyx's scales, looking at the sky concerned.

"A dragon attacked us. I am not sure why. We were close to the eggs so I th-"Tristan was saying but a loud snarl cut him mid-sentence.

The riders looked up and saw Aiedail trying to fight off the large brass coloured male they had noticed before. Her talons were slicing his thighs but he appeared unaffected by this. His jaws were trying to close around her neck and she kept on trying to push him back.

Onyx and Vertigo almost simultaneously let out loud roars and Saturn flapped his wings impatiently.

_Get back on. We need to go to her!,_ Vertigo shouted and his tail twitched from side to side, irritably.

Tristan did as his dragon commanded.

_You are injured though, do you think it's the best…._

_It's only a scratch!,_ the dragon roared and flew quickly to where Aiedail was as soon as Tristan climbed on his back. At the moment she was cornered by the large male, who had his wings around her and she had both a panicked and a deadly expression on her face.

Saturn and Onyx started growling at the male while Vertigo flew fast around him, causing gusts of wind to burst and disturb the brass male's balance. Aiedail moved from her corner and attacked the male from above with full force, tearing a big piece of flesh in the process.

The brass male let out a loud roar and stared at them with hate and malice. Suddenly from the corners of the island, many wild dragons appeared and started circling them.

_Keep formation, riders_, Gwen whispered into their minds but her voice almost quivered at the end.

Adrian and Gas appeared from below them and quickly flew to their direction. The two-headed dragon with May and Maya on, came from a hill nearby, but he was still too close to some of the wild males.

_Try to avoid attacking. Don't make a move unle-,_ Adrian said in their minds but the white two headed dragon attacked the two dragons closest to him and simultaneous roars erupted.

The wild dragons flew to them fast from all directions and jets of flames were now a common commotion. Vertigo and Aiedail moved their wings quickly and kept stealing glances around them.

Suddenly a sapphire blur came out of nowhere and let out such a lour growl that the wild dragons moved back.

_ENOUGH!,_ Eragon and Saphira shouted in unison and for a few moments the wild dragons paused their attack. _Riders, come. We need to leave. Now._

Adrian started heading back and the rest of the younger riders followed closely behind.

_Where is Rikon?,_ Laer asked at that moment and suddenly Tristan and Gwen realised that they had not seen the dwarven rider since the time they had arrived. Both the riders and dragons quickly scanned the island until Gwen spotted Rikon and told him to join them.

Rikon and Fiord flew ahead with confused expressions on their faces and Saturn, Vertigo and Onyx joined them. Saphira and Eragon were in the middle of the group, stealing cautious glances behind them.

Suddenly the brass coloured male flew fast to their direction as he spotted Aiedail near Vertigo. The purple dragon let out an irritated growl and snapped her jaws at the male. Saturn tried to intimidate the male, pausing for a bit and growling but the other dragon wasn't frightened and swung his tail forcefully to Gwen's direction.

Tristan let out a loud scream while Vertigo tried to fly to the back of the group where the fight was taking place, but he was not fast enough and the tail of the brass male hit Gwen. She slipped from her saddle and Tristan saw her body falling in mid-air. Saturn tried to reach her, but the brass male had his talons inside the other dragon's wings.

A desperate growl escaped both from Saturn's and Tristan's lips as they helplessly watched Gwen's body falling to its death.

**A/N: Don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav :)! **


	28. The darkness within

**The darkness within. **

**A/N: While writing this chapter I was listening to Everybody wants to Rule the World by Lorde… For some reason I felt like it fit with this chapter so go ahead and listen to it if you want! **

At the last moment, Tristan watched Onyx dropping low and Laer catching Gwen's body into his arms. Tristan exhaled loudly, just as Saphira flew past them to face the giant brass male who was still holding onto Saturn's wings.

_If she exhales fire she will hurt Saturn as well!,_ Tristan shouted in Vertigo's mind. They helplessly watched the situation unfolding in front of them, as Onyx flew to where they were.

Tristan saw Eragon quickly whispering some words and then Saphira let out the biggest jet of flames the young rider had ever seen. The brass male tried to fly away from them, shielding his eyes with his wings, but the flames kept on coming and they scorched his skin. A protective layer stood around Saturn who let out a growl of pain, as the other male released him and he unsteadily flew towards Gwen, who was in Laer's arms.

Aiedail managed one last attack on the brass coloured male before Saphira let out another jet of flames.

_Riders, is everyone here? We are heading back!,_ Eragon repeated to them and this time they were all there and started flying away from Ramirblanka, fast.

Saphira and Eragon healed dragons' and riders' wounds in mid-air and their speed increased, but all dragons were tired and they were not going as fast as they would have liked. Some wild dragons were still following them, but they did not appear to be causing as big a threat as before.

By the time they reached Dis Atilan, the sky had turned black and some stars shone from between the clouds. As soon as they landed, Tristan rushed to Gwen's side, who was still unconscious and in Laer's arms. Eragon was kneeling on the ground, examining her injuries.

"She is alive, right?" Tristan quickly asked, just as Rikon and Adrian approached him.

_Yes, she is alive. She will wake soon_, Saturn answered in their minds and his muzzle gently touched Gwen's head. When the dragon took a step back, Tristan knelt on the ground. His palm gently caressed Gwen's cheek and then he paused, realising that both Adrian and Saturn were watching him. He cleared his throat and quickly walked to Vertigo's side, keeping his gaze on the ground.

"Riders… I owe you an apology. The wild dragons should have been notified of our arrival and the Eldunari should have made preparations. I have visited Ramirblaka before, but never have the wild dragons behaved in such a manner" he said and he appeared both regretful and perplexed. "Head back to your dorms. Your training will continue as per usual tomorrow"

Eragon walked to Saphira's side, climbed atop her and flew towards Glieonard.

The young riders walked back to their dorms in silence. Maurine had the expression of a terrified doe and Rikon was trying to reassure her that everything would be okay.

Tristan rubbed his hands against Vertigo's scales, absentminded, while he kept stealing glances at Laer's and Gwen's directions. He was glad Gwen was okay, but still he couldn't shake that cold feeling that was seizing his heart.

_I have concluded that I don't like wild dragons_, Vertigo said in a thoughtful tone.

"I don't think that this is their usual behaviour. Something must have happened in order for them to behave in such a manner" Adrian said, approaching them. Tristan wasn't sure he wanted to be near the elf at the moment.

"Do you think it was due to the eggs? Maybe the females were protecting them…" Rikon said, but the twin girls, Maya and May shook their heads in unison.

"It was…"

"Not just"

The females" they said, but still, it did not answer the original question as to why the dragons had been so aggressive towards the riders.

They continued walking along the path, until the elves and urgals parted ways with the rest of the riders. Maurine and Rikon said goodnight as well and then Laer, Gwen, Gas and Tristan reached the human dorm.

Just before they walked inside, Gwen awoke with a startle and looked around her, perplexed. She took tentative steps forward, then her feet wobbled and Laer put a protective arm around her. It felt as if a small dagger pierced Tristan's heart and he tried to look elsewhere, but his eyes stayed locked on the human.

"Saturn?" Gwen asked and as soon as she saw her dragon, she exhaled in happiness. She pressed her arms around the bronze dragon's head and Tristan did not want to interrupt their moment. He headed inside, walking next to Laer. For a reason he could not fathom, he was feeling uncomfortable around the rider, something he did not like. Usually, it was easy conversing with Laer. A growing suspicion had settled in his heart and he did not like it at all.

_Just ask him_, Vertigo said in his mind, but the dragon sounded distant and not his usual care-free, relaxed self.

_I will. Are you okay, Vertigo?,_ Tristan inclined and the dragon moved around the stone structure in an agitated manner.

_Wild dragons appear stronger. And free. They can do whatever they want, whenever they want, without any consequences. _

Tristan looked outside his window to where Vertigo was, his jaw dropping in surprise.

_Do you want to be like them? Is that what it is?,_ he asked.

_No. I am just trying to understand how it would have been like if I grew in the wild. Would I have become the same dragon? Would I be like… Them_?, he asked and his tail swung to the right hand side.

_I think that no matter where you had grown up, you would not have behaved in the same way they did,_ Tristan said and tried to reassure his dragon but Vertigo was lost in his own thoughts.

Tristan sighed loudly and paced inside his room for a while. Sleep did not seem to be coming easily to him tonight. He opened the door of his room and walked across the hall. He gently knocked on the opposite door and waited, but no one answered. He knocked again, but nothing. Tristan opened the door and walked inside the room, only to find it empty. Laer wasn't there. When he went to knock on Gwen's room she wasn't there either.

His previous suspicion grew bigger and his heart twisted as hate and another feeling he did not recognise, rose in the surface. He went back to his bed but he could not go to sleep and when he heard someone walking inside, he instantly got up. Gwen pulled her curly hair back and looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Tristan?" she asked, in surprise, and he nodded.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked her and she nodded to him and smiled.

"Yes. It's just that I was not expecting to be attacked by...dragons" she replied, puzzled. She walked back to her room and said good night. He did the same but again he couldn't sleep. When he heard another person walking inside the human dorms he rushed to the hallway.

Laer jumped slightly when he saw him and raised his eyebrows.

"Why are you up so late?" Tristan asked him in a serious manner.

"I could ask you the same" Laer replied and Tristan pressed his lips together.

"I couldn't fall asleep, you see, and I needed to talk to you" he answered.

Momentarily, Laer appeared troubled and alarmed.

"What is it that you wish to speak of?" the rider asked him.

Since there was no easy way of saying this, Tristan blurted it out.

"Do you have feelings for Gwen?"

Laer's eyes grew large.

"Feelings? I… No!" he said and he stared at Tristan, shocked and bewildered. He took in a loud breath of air. "Trust me when I say that I have no interest in… Human… Females" he added and smiled to him.

Tristan raised both his eyebrows.

"Then where were you tonight?"

"Sleep couldn't come easily to me, either. Not after today's events" Laer said and he sighed. Then he looked at Tristan with a serious expression. "I know you have feelings for Gwen and even if I did harbour some emotions for her I wouldn't jeopardize your situation" he added in a reassuring tone.

Tristan let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding.

"You are right, my friend, but I had to know" he said and smiled back to Laer in relief.

The rider nodded.

"I understand" Laer said and then he looked at the dark sky. "Shall we make one more attempt to sleep?"

Tristan laughed and nodded, saying good night and heading back to his room.

…..

It was night time and the riders had not yet returned, something Kayla found peculiar. It did not bother her much though since it gave her time to practise magic.

She had a golden goblet in her hand and at the moment she was trying to practise a spell she had seen many riders do before her.

"_Dramr kopa_" she whispered. The water withered, ripples formed, faces almost appeared and then all too quickly they disappeared.

She sighed exasperated and fell on her bed. It had been more than two months since she had last spoken to her mother! Kayla could always ask Eragon or some of the older riders to help her with the spell, but she wanted to do this alone. She knew Tristan had had contact with their mother, a few weeks ago after the riders had returned from their flying lesson, but she had not been present. Another indirect message from Eragon to persuade her to ride Aiedail.

Kayla picked up the golden goblet again. In front of her, the book of magic spells was open on the page with the spell that would allow her to see and converse with the person she was thinking off.

"_Dramr Kopa_" she repeated, holding the cup more forcefully. The water's surface rippled again and this time it took the face of her mother. Kayla exhaled in relief as she watched her mother's sleeping form. She was in her bed, in their house in Arhan and everything appeared to be normal. She smiled to herself happily, but soon she realised something. Without breaking the spell, she turned her gaze to the book.

"…the spell allows the caster to only see the person they are thinking off but not their surroundings. More experienced magicians can also converse with the person in question…" Kayla read and then stopped.

She shouldn't be allowed to see where her mother was. Not really. She concentrated on the water's surface again and she watched her mother's chest rising and falling, rising and fall-

The water rippled and her mother's form disappeared. Black, intricate markings were spiralling at the edges of the goblet and in the middle, faces she did not recognise, started appearing. Alone, a hooded person stood. The figure was in a stone room, in what appeared to be a tower and was chanting something. Unexpectedly, it paused. It looked around, raising objects and then allowing them to fall.

"I know you are here, somewhere" it whispered and its voice made the hairs on Kayla's arms rise. Her breath started coming out uneven and the figure turned around and faced her. The figure laughed.

"I can see you, you little –" it started saying but then a loud growl sounded from outside the window where the figure was and Kayla saw a gigantic shadow wyrm flying.

Kayla screamed, felt her control on the magic quivering and the golden goblet fell on the ground, black liquid spilling all over the floor. She looked around in her room, alarmed, still feeling the gaze of the creature on her. She was unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness.

Suddenly, she heard a noise from outside and she rushed to her window, her heart beating inside her chest furiously. The whoosh of air from flapping wings greeted her and momentarily she stood there frozen, her heart beat almost stopping, as a memory started rising to the surface. Then, she heard her brother's casual voice and she exhaled in relief, as she realized that it was only the dragon riders.

She quickly wiped the floor from the black liquid and heard the riders entering their rooms. Kayla went back to her bed and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. Aiedail's presence however didn't make this possible, as the dragon was restless.

Kayla inhaled deeply trying to shut everything and everyone out of her mind, but Aiedail's emotions started clouding her own.

The dragon was angry, disgusted and close to terrified.

_You should have been there_!, Aiedail suddenly screamed inside Kayla's mind and the girl instinctively covered her ears which, however, did nothing to stop the mental voice.

For a moment, Kayla was stunned. The dragon always wanted to gain access into the girl's mind but usually kept her emotions to herself.

An image was projected to Kayla, one which she was not fast enough to block. In this image, Aiedail was being attacked by a huge brass coloured male, who was demanding access both into her mind and body.

More images came, some showing dragons attacking the riders.

_I… I did not know,_ Kayla whispered, surprised.

_How could you? You have blocked me from your mind, from your thoughts and from your presence! You never fly with me… A dragon and a rider are only as strong as their bond is! I was… Weak_, Aiedail said and let out a pained, angered growl.

Kayla took a few deep breaths. She realised with horror, that she wasn't the only one facing problems. And this feeling of helplessness… She knew that feeling well.

_Did he…? Did the male…?,_ Kayla started asking, but the dragon growled a negative answer.

_Some of the younger dragons and Saphira stopped him on time_, Aiedail said and she scratched her talons on the rocks of her structure. This made a shrieking noise and Kayla had to close her ears in order to block it.

_I am-…,_ Kayla started and then paused. What was she? Sorry? The dragon came close to her window and Kayla was faced with Aiedail's accusing glare.

_You should have been there_, the purple dragon repeated and Kayla felt her heart twisting, as a turmoil of emotions jumped inside her chest, both her own and from the creature facing her.

….

Melor shrieked in pain in what appeared to be the hundredth time.

"Can you not do anything about his situation?" Murtagh demanded.

The dwarf's shoulder was covered in blisters and black smoke often rose from them.

"It's been three weeks already since the attack. Why are his wounds not healing?" Murtagh asked again and his hands turned into fists.

Arya gave him a solemn look.

"This is a type of dark magic the healers and I have not encountered before"

"But you are elves! You know more magic spells than anybody else! You should know what to do!" he said again.

Arya's eyebrows rose.

"With your experience in dark magic, maybe you should have a go at healing him" she said and rose from her sit.

Murtagh went to reply but Thorn stopped him.

_Stop. Arguing won't help solve the situation_, the red dragon said.

_As long as he stops screaming I will be happy_, the rider replied and walked out of the room. They were in a building located at the outskirts of Ellesmira, as the rest of the elves would not allow him entrance to their city.

Surprising.

The other three riders had been summoned to Ilirea because another attack had occurred. He would have gone with them, but he hated having everybody's judgmental glares on his shoulders. He was also dreading to face Nasuada. Last time he had seen her from up close, they had decided to end their affair. She was steadily growing older, he was a dragon rider, she was the queen, the people in Alagaesia despised him… So many reasons to stay away!

Suddenly Arya looked at the skies, perplexed, and then the lake's surface near them, withered and took the shape of Stoic.

"We are outside of Ilirea, Murtagh! The shadow wyrms attacked again but they have riders with them! Ingrid is injured! Send for help, tell Erag-"his voice said but he was cut off.

Murtagh rode on Thorn's back without further due.

"Murtagh!" Arya shouted.

"Tell Eragon to send for reinforcements. I doubt he will listen to me, but you might actually have a chance!" he said as he flew high, losing himself between the clouds and hoping he could make it to Ilirea on time.

_Nasuada_, he thought and Thorn flew faster.

**A/N: Hope you liked the chapter! Don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav, it will only take a minute! Next chapter will be called: The Red Rider. **


	29. The Red Rider

**The Red Rider**

**A/N: This is the first time I have included any romantic scenes so hopefully I won't disappoint anyone. Thanks for your reviews on the previous chapter! **

The wind was slapping Murtagh's cheeks as Thorn flew towards Ilirea.

_We are close_, the red dragon whispered in his mind and Murtagh nodded although he desperately hoped they had not arrived too late. He hated coming back to Ilirea, but Nasuada and the rest of the riders were here, needing his help.

The sky was dark, so he had to squint his eyes to make out the outlines of buildings. He could see smoke rising from some of them and his blood run cold.

_We are too late again!,_ he shouted angrily and clenched his fists, looking away.

_No. We are not. I cannot see the shadow wyrms but most of the buildings are intact_, Thorn said, scanning the area.

Murtagh closed his eyes and tried to extend his consciousness in order to look for potential threats. There were spells placed around Ilirea that prohibited him from looking further in, at first, but after uttering a few spells of his own he slipped easily past their defences and cursed the magicians' incompetence.

_We are dealing with sorcerers, shades and shadow wyrms and they didn't think to place more intricate spells?,_ he asked angrily.

_Maybe their spells were weakened after the attack,_ Thorn added.

Murtagh hmphed and looked inside the minds of the people in Ilirea. Indeed, three shadow wyrms had attacked and there appeared to be riders present as well, but not riders he knew.

He sighed and extended his consciousness further until he found Stoic's mind.

_What happened?,_ he simply asked.

_There were shadow wyrms and shades here. It appears there was a dragon and a rider as well, but I cannot be sure. They attacked some buildings, killed some peasants and injured Ingrid but other than that they caused no more damage. They left as soon as we started attacking them_, the urgal said.

Thorn landed near the court yard, causing a gush of wind to blow towards the nearby tends and stands. Murtagh encountered Stoic on his way to the castle and the Kull led him to the infirmary.

Ingrid lay on a bed, her head thrusting back as she bit hard on a piece of cloth in her mouth. The elven rider, Findet, was whispering healing words over a deep cut on her thigh but they seemed to have no effect. Black smoke was rising from the cut.

"Spare your energy, rider. Arya and the elves in Elesmira have been trying to heal the dwarf for weeks now with no effect. I doubt you will accomplish anything different since her wound was caused by the shadow wyrms as well" he said and Findet pressed his lips together.

"Now… Tell me again the details of the attack. Was anyone taken? Was there indeed another rider?" Murtagh asked and the two riders relayed to him everything that had occurred.

After they finished, he pressed his back against the stone walls and closed his eyes.

_They could have easily done further damage. Why didn't they? Was there something that stopped them or was this simply an intimidation?,_ Murtagh asked in the dragons' and riders' minds but none had an answer to his question.

He exited the infirmary and walked to Thorn's side. Emotions passed through them, rather than words, a habit they had developed during their time with Galbatorix when both were trying to shield their thoughts from him.

_If there was another rider then the situation might be worse than we thought,_ Thorn said.

_Where did the rider appear from? Did one of the stolen eggs hatch? And If yes, is the rider bound by magic to the dragon_?, Murtagh asked again, but he did not expect an answer from his dragon.

Murtagh pressed his hand against Thorn's scales and looked up at the towers that extended high. In one of these rooms, Nasuada resided. She could have easily moved to another room since he hadn't seen her for quite some time but he doubted that.

Emotions of comfort radiated through his bond with Thorn.

Someone walked into them, earning the threatening looks of both rider and dragon. The person was obviously drunk as his cheeks were coloured and he held a jag of an alcoholic beverage in his hand.

"Step back" Murtagh said and looked on the ground trying to conceal his face.

The man's expression changed and his eyes grew large in recognition.

"Oh, I know you! You are the brat that sided with Galbatorix during the attack…" he started saying and Murtagh walked forward, ready to utter the words of a deadly spell or draw his sword, but he heard footsteps and he paused.

_He is not worth is_, Thorn advised.

"How dare you!? This is a rider and a friend! He helped us defeat Galbatorix! You should have more respect!" an icy voice said and the man walked back, terrified.

"I am sorry, my Queen, I did not know… "the man mumbled but she rose her hand in the air in a dismissive manner.

"Go back to your chambers and if you have any respect for your Queen or for the people in Alagaesia you will refrain from spreading tales" Nasuada warned.

Murtagh watched the exchange silently. The Queen was in the court yard with her usual parade of guards and magicians who formed a protective circle around her. She turned her gaze on him, a set of black mesmerizing eyes and momentarily he was lost of words.

"Red Rider. We expected an earlier arrival" Nasuada said.

Murtagh bowed on the ground and tried to keep his face expressionless.

"My Queen. I was in Elesmira, assisting with another matter at the time. I take it none of your counsellors, magicians and guards were hurt?" he asked with a flicker of hope.

"No. They are all in quite good health as far as I know" she replied.

_Shame. It wouldn't have been too bad if a few of the counsellors had unexpectedly perished,_ Murtagh said in Thorn's mind and he tried to hide a smile.

"Splendid news" he said in irony and moved forward, making a failed attempt at smiling. Nasuada's calculating gaze held his own and he was certain that she knew exactly what he was thinking about.

"There is a room prepared for you to rest tonight, near the riders" Nasuada added and Murtagh looked at her once again, trying to understand if there was a hidden meaning in her words. There appeared to be none.

"I appreciate the offer but I intend to rest at the outskirts of Ilirea tonight, since I want to investigate further the attacks of the shadow wyrms" he simply said and the Queen appeared both relieved and disappointed at his comment.

"Very well, then. If you find anything, please inform me as soon as possible" she said.

"Of course, my Queen" he replied and bowed once more as Nasuada and her court walked back to the castle.

_You handled this well_, Thorn observed and blinked.

_Years of practise_, Murtagh replied as he climbed onto his dragon.

_Are we leaving so soon?_

_Yes, I do not want people to think that I am here longer than I should be._

_Of course_, Thorn said in a mischievous manner as emotions passed through them and Murtagh allowed himself to smile.

…..

Nasuada fixed her long skirts as she walked in a fast pace back to her chambers. A messenger boy run to her direction and she paused, the guards and magicians around her, forming a block.

She looked at her parade in an annoyed manner, but said nothing.

"Jormundur has asked for a council meeting tomorrow morning" the boy said.

Nasuada nodded.

"Tell him to meet me in the main Hall and relay the message to the rest of the counsellors and riders as well" she whispered and quickly wrote and signed the parchment of paper that one of the guards passed to her.

She kneeled forward to give the letters to the boy, but a guard stepped in front. The boy took a few steps backwards, an alarmed expression on his face.

"In the name of Unulukuna, he is just a boy!" she shouted angrily and pushed the guards back, giving the letters to the boy. The messenger swallowed, took the letters, turned back and run to the stairs.

Nasuada sighed.

How old was the boy? Twelve, thirteen? Was he older than…?

"My Queen, we are doing this for your safety. Only last month someone poisoned your wine and half a year ago someone shot an arrow to your head. If I also include the attacks of the last five years…" the guard started but she held a hand in the air.

"Then you would never stop. I have not forgotten" Nasuada said angrily and sighed again as they reached her chambers.

She looked at her parade and she shook her head aggressively.

"A Queen needs privacy. I am going to enter my chambers now and my maid Farica will be there. You have all put protective spells around her mind and I doubt the girl who has been my servant for more than twenty years will cause any danger. I will be safe" she said and opened her doors.

"But my Queen…." one of the magicians started.

"No" she said and slammed the door to their faces. She hid a secret smile and then exhaled loudly.

Her long skirts dragged behind her. They were unnecessarily heavy but the weather was growing colder. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirrors and her eyebrows pulled together in surprise. That, however, only intensified the wrinkles on her forehead and corners of her lips. Nasuada turned her gaze away from the mirror and started undressing.

She removed her head band first, as it had been tight, tighter than usual. Her hair fell loose on her shoulders and she let out another breath of air in relief. Then she started pulling the straps of her corset.

Farica should have been here to do this for her, as she did every night and every morning, but she had dismissed the maid for the night. The straps were surprisingly loose and she was glad for that, as she did not have much experience with untying corsets.

Suddenly, she heard a noise and she turned her gaze to the curtains of her windows. Her window doors were open and air was rushing to her room, making the curtains dance. She walked forward and closed the doors, pressing her back against them.

_It's just the wind_, she told herself and momentarily there was indeed silence and she closed her eyes.

Then, another noise sounded and she snapped her eyes open, turning to the direction where it had come from.

The man behind the curtains walked forward and smiled at her.

"You should not be here" she warned.

Murtagh's hair fell in front of his eyes and he looked on the ground. Then he hmphed.

"If you thought I wouldn't come, then why did you dismiss your maid and deny access to your guards?" he asked her and she opened her mouth to reply, but no words came.

When she didn't give him an answer he took a few more steps forward and put his arms around her in a tight embrace.

"When I heard the wyrms had found their way into Ilirea I was terrified. I thought I was going to lose you" he whispered in her ear.

She allowed herself to be lost in the moment, as the familiar aroma of Murtagh clouded her thoughts. But then she moved backwards and shook her head.

"Someone might hear. The guards are outside, my magicians might sense you…" she started but he quickly whispered some words and waved his hand in the air.

"There. Now, no one can hear anything that happens inside the room and I have already made sure that none of the magicians know I am here. Which reminds me. You surround yourself with the most useless of idiots, sometimes! Getting inside the city was too easy, both in physical and mental terms" he said and Nasuada smiled.

"You are a rider, of course it is easy" she replied and he smiled back to her and then clasped her into another tight embrace, with her back against his front body.

"I am a rider and yet I cannot extinguish the threats that loom over Alagaesia. This says a lot about our enemies. Raise your boundaries ten times higher! If the enemy attacks again, what you have now, will not be enough" he warned and exhaled loudly on her shoulder.

His breath was hot and it shot a warming sensation throughout her body. She turned her head and looked at him. He returned her gaze, with his own darker one which held many promises.

He kneeled down and gently brushed his lips against her throat, trailing a path to her lips. Nasuada allowed herself to enjoy the kiss and then she pushed him back and shook her head.

"We can't start this Murtagh, not again. If someone finds out, then…" she started, but he pressed his finger on her lips.

"Then your position as Queen will be questioned, the balance in Alagaesia will be disturbed and this is something that would not benefit anyone right now. Apart from some of your counsellors, that is. Such a shame they didn't die tonight" Mustagh said in a melancholic tone and Nasuada smiled.

"It is not just my position that will be threatened Murtagh. If someone finds out… If someone finds out then they will want to dig further and if they do, then they will find her… "she continued and Murtagh stepped back, a dark shadow clouding his features.

This was a subject they did not discuss often and for good reason. It caused both of them great pain.

Nasuada swallowed.

"I only wish we could have sparred her the grief" she whispered.

"The sooner these monsters are gone, the safer she will be. Do no worry, at the moment she is in the safest place she could be, far away from the dark powers here" Murtagh said and looked in the distance.

"But still, she has ties to them. I guess she takes after you, in that respect" Nasuada said smiling and caressing his left palm, where the half circle symbol resided.

"Me? I am nothing but a small rodent when I compare myself to your power! I hear she has your strategical and political skills as well" he said in a teasing manner and that made her smile.

"I just hope she is not sent here. At least, not now" she said and sighed, pressing her palms on top of her hips. There were a few more scars present there, to add to the existing ones on the inside of her arms and battle wounds.

"She won't be. She is still too young" Murtagh said, holding her gaze and she nodded.

They both then heard a knock on the door.

"Your Majesty, open the door!" one of the guards shouted. "Your maid, Farica, was found in the corridors!"

Nasuada walked further away from Murtagh, while he stared at the door in a calculating manner.

"I can make the doors unbreakable if you want" he offered but she shook her head.

He sighed in disappointment.

"Until, next time then" he promised and gave her a quick kiss.

Nasuada watched as he disappeared into the darkness and the doors to her chambers opened.

_Until next time, red rider. _

**A/N: Rise of The Dragons will be paused for the next few weeks. I will definitely update after the 18****th**** of December and maybe I will manage to post another chapter before this date! Don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav! **


	30. Lost in Ellesmera

**Lost in Ellesmera**

She heard the sound of rustling leaves and she turned her head to the direction the sound had come from.

_Only the wind_, she told herself and put down the scrying mirror, exhaling loudly.

Somewhere at the back of her mind she could feel Firnen's presence. Her dragon was hunting at the outskirts of Ellesmira, but not too far away and still in the proximity of Du Weldenvarden, as a precaution.

_They came too close. How did they manage this?,_ she asked both herself and the dragon.

For a moment the creature remained silent and then his deep, melodic voice echoed in her mind.

_Arya, it was not your fault,_ he assured her, sensing her emotions and replying to them rather than her words.

_Elves have been in Du Weldenvarden for a millennia and more. No one has ever dared to cross the boundaries of our region. No one has had the ability to. Is it because our defences are growing weak or is it because our enemy is stronger?_

Once again she run her finger over the scrying mirror and tried to concentrate on the image of a certain person. She felt the energy flowing through her, taking the shape she willed it to, but no shapes appeared.

Annoyed she placed the mirror on her desk and walked out of her chambers. Some elves were present in locations around the building and she greeted each and every one of them by name and with the usual elven greeting. Walking amongst her people in the dark green city relaxed her and made her feel calm and powerful again.

Her footsteps took her to the Menoa tree, even though she wasn't sure if it was intentional. She kneeled on the grass and touched her palm on the tree's bark.

The ancient wisdom and calmness of the entity enthralled her and she let herself get lost in the steady flow of sceneries and images. The entity did not speak to her directly, nor did it give her much acknowledgement. For all she knew it might simply be seeing these images, living it's peaceful, undisturbed life.

She did not know for how long she stayed with her head laid atop the tree's ancient roots, but Arya felt the wind blowing on her face and she opened her eyes to see her giant, forest-green dragon landing.

_The elves have had contact with Nasuada. It's been almost a month since the shadow wyrms left Ilirea. They have not attacked any place new,_ Firnen said.

All her thoughts of calmness and peacefulness vanished, remembering the impeding threat. She got up, brushed the dirt from her long dress and hurried to meet the rest of the elven leaders.

On her way to the Hall, some elven children stopped to greet her and they danced around her, mouths wide with happiness and hope.

"Arya-Dröttning! Arya!" they said and clasped their hands together. There were five of them and they had circled her. Another elven child went to Firnen's side and started admiring his scales.

_In all the years the elves have been around, this is the most children Ellesmira has had_, the forest-green dragon commented.

Arya turned her head smiling both to him and them and then gently pushed her way through.

_Let us hope nothing ill befalls them then_, she replied.

It was true, that elven children were hard to conceive. Elves led long lives and they tended to have more than one mate. For a female elf to conceive, conditions had to be ideal. The female would need to be surrounded by love both from her elven mate and nature. If the environment she was in was not a safe, peaceful one, chances were that she would not conceive. Gestation period also lasted longer for elves, usually two years, but the females had the ability to prolong their pregnancy if they so wished. It was considered that the longer an elven child was in its mother's womb, the stronger it would become. If something ill befell the elven mother, she could also pause her pregnancy until conditions returned to their previous state.

_Compared to the way humans, urgals and dwarves conceive, elven pregnancies are quite complicated,_ Arya said in Firnern's mind when the dragon shot her a questioning look.

_It reminds me much, of the way dragons are born. Of course, it's a lot easier for them to conceive, conditions don't necessarily need to be ideal, but dragon eggs can stay in a dormant stage for centuries_, Firnen commented as her thoughts reached him.

Arya nodded and walked towards the elven headquarters, perplexed by her trail of thoughts. She shook her head to clear it and nodded in acknowledgment when she saw the elven chief advisor.

"Lord Dathedr" she said and the other elf kneeled slightly.

"Arya-Dröttning" he replied in turn and they entered the headquarters room. It was a beautiful, wooden structure, sung to life by an elf who had long since perished. The room pulsed with an energy that signified it was alive and not simply another structure made out of stones with no stories or thoughts of its own.

Familiar faces surrounded her, including Lifaen's and Nari's, Eragon's escorts when he had first arrived to Ellesmira.

_It feels such a long time ago_, she thought to herself.

_And yet it has also been twenty years_, her dragon commented. He was present as well as he held both great power and wisdom and elves cherished dragons, wanting to include him in their meetings as often as possible.

"Have you had any contact with the Dragon Rider Leader?" Dathedr asked and she shook her head.

"Nay. I and many other elves have tried scrying him repeatedly, but with no success. I do not know whether this is because something ill has befallen him and the riders, whether something is clouding our connection or whether he simply does not want to be contacted" she replied and held the gazes of all the elves around her.

Elves learnt how to conceal their emotions from the rest of the races as easily as they learnt how to wield magic, but when facing each other it was easy to notice the slightest of tremors, or the quick flicker of eye movement that betrayed their worry and fear.

And Arya could tell that they were afraid.

"What news of the riders in Alagaesia? Has the situation of the dwarven rider, Melor improved?" Lifaen asked and this time another elf replied, one of the many healers.

"The magic that seeps from his wounds is so dark and twisted that none of our remedies, potions and magical spells can help him. He has gotten worse in the last three weeks and we fear that his situation will not improve" he said in a solemn manner.

Arya noticed that his palms were covered in something that very much looked like black dust. It was probably a side effect from all the energy usage and his attempt to save the rider.

"What of his dragon?" another elf asked.

_He has been placed near Oromis's and Glaedr's old quarters. He has food and water aplenty but with his rider injured it is only natural for him to be aggressive and distant. It is best if you do not approach him much, unless you have only good news to share_, Firnen advised in his deep and melodic voice.

"The Queen of the Varden informed me that the wyrms' previous attack stopped all too soon. It has been two weeks already since they were last sighted. What we do not know, however, was whether their attack was an intimidation or whether they were after something"

"How are we going to stop them from venturing further into Du Weldenvarden? How are we going to stop them from killing more of our elven kin and the people in Alagaesia?" one of the elves asked, in an almost aggressive manner.

Arya gave him a solemn look. He was a young elf, no older than fifty years of age, so she decided to excuse his outburst. What troubled her the most was not that he had acted in this way, but that she held no answer to his questions. Instead she stared at the ground.

"It is said that in order to destroy one's enemy you must fully understand them. And we, I am afraid, know nothing of them. Until we know who they are and what they want our best course of action is to prepare for battle, raise our defences and be patient" Lord Dathedr answered for her and she appreciated his interference.

They continued talking about many more matters and then all too quickly Arya was back into her chambers. She picked up the scrying mirror once again and played with its edges, wondering if she could injure herself with them.

Suddenly the Dragon Rider Leader's face appeared on it.

"Eragon?" she asked unsure and pressed her thumbs on the glass, hard.

His eyebrows pulled together for just a second, and then he nodded at her.

"I spoke with Murtagh and the riders. I tried contacting them before but have not been able to do so. What of Melor? Have the elves found a cure?" he quickly asked.

Arya shook her head.

"Nay" she replied and for a moment they were silent, each staring into the other's eyes.

The Leader looked older than when she had last seen him. No wrinkles were visible, only smooth skin but something in his expression had changed.

"A few weeks ago we visited Ramirblaka… The Eldunari had not been notified and the wild dragons attacked us. Saphira and I stopped one of the male leaders but they appeared aggressive, more so than usual" he said in a low tone and Arya bit her upper lip.

She remembered the time when Eragon had first contacted her after he had found a place to settle and train the next generation of riders and asked for her advice on his plan.

No, advice was too weak a word. Rather, he had informed her of his plan, because she had warned him and he had not listened. She remembered how she had tried making him see reason but all too soon she had realised that no matter all the battles they had been through, no matter the fact that he had defeated Alagaesia's monarch and restored peace upon the land, he was but a young boy.

A young boy she should not have harboured any feelings for, other than friendly. A foolish, young boy who had cast a spell to change the fate of the dragons' eggs without thinking of the possible consequences first.

_Do not blame him, Arya-Dröttning! The wild dragons' behaviour and the girl's unwillingness to forge a proper bond with her dragon is not his fault!,_ Firnen growled unexpectedly in her mind.

She turned away from her mirror to face her dragon.

_Why are you protecting him? How do you know he is not to blame?,_ she asked and the dragon let out a small puff of smoke.

_I am not denying that all of this is but a simple coincidence, but stop placing blames and trying to find excuses in order to deny what you already know_, he said harshly and she turned away from him to look at the Dragon Rider Leader once again.

His brown hair was shorter than usual and his face appeared more angled, which only intensified the perplexed look he wore. His eyes shone, waiting for her answer.

"I believe something is interfering with our scrying magic at the moment. I have been trying to contact you for more than a month and as it appears even though you are near the wild dragon island you were not able to communicate with the Eldunari there either. We have been making preparations, trying to increase surveillance, raising our boundaries…" she started and he studied her without replying.

Eragon had this unusual way of looking at her, making her feel certain that she knew what he was thinking about and then surprising her the very next moment when he spoke.

"Arya… What should I do?" he simply asked her.

She had spent many days and many nights with the rider and she could understand his behaviour and mood, better than most. Eragon regretted altering the spell, that much was true but he was also feeling guilty because he did not know how to aid the riders in Alagaesia.

Arya was silent for a while, mulling over the best courses of action. Firnen often offered his advice and soon they came to a conclusion.

"I am the Queen of the Elves and I have duties here but I am also a dragon rider and as experienced as you and Murtagh, carrying my own set of Eldunari. It is time for me to leave this place and join the riders. Your duty is to protect the young riders and the dragons, as it has always been" she ended and at the end of the sentence her voice sounded hoarse.

The Dragon Rider Leader's face clouded in an instant.

"Arya, I did not mean for you to go in my place. I meant for you to give me your honest opinion on the course I should take…" he started but she stopped him before he continued.

"And so I have. When I speak to you Eragon, I speak the truth" she said swapping to the Ancient Language. "If neither I nor Murtagh, the most experienced of the riders, are able to extinguish the threat then it is only reasonable to assume that you and less experienced riders will fail"

He momentarily looked taken aback and then he pressed his hands on his temples.

"Are you telling me that this threat could be greater than Galbatorix?" he asked her and she let out a breath of exasperation.

"I am telling you, Eragon that I … I simply do not know" she replied and mimicked his position.

They stayed silent for a bit until they both realised that there was nothing more to be said.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin Eragon. May good fortune rule over you Eragon" Arya whispered and held his gaze a moment longer.

"Atra du evarínya ono varda, Arya, Svit-kona" he said in return. May the stars watch over you, Arya, wise-woman.

He did not break the spell however and he extended his hand towards her, his eyes growing big and his eyebrows pulling together.

She shivered in return and she raised her hand, momentarily holding his gaze.

_He is but a young, foolish boy. _

Arya let her hand drop to her side and Eragon mimicked her reaction. He nodded in return and all too soon the rider's face was lost from her vision.

The Elven Queen jumped from the window of her chambers and landed on soft grass. She heard Firnen's growl.

_Why do you deny your feelings for him? I do not understand it_, he said.

_Now is not the time, nor will it ever be. We both have duties that hold us prisoners_, she replied in his mind and the dragon growled once more.

_This might be true indeed, but you care for him much and it pains you and me both when you treat him in that manner_, her wise dragon said and she did not have an answer.

She walked to the Headquarters and was not surprised to find Lord Dathedr there, still conversing with some elves about the boundaries they should place another Ellesmira. She informed him of her conversation with Eragon and her decision to face the threat alongside the riders, when it next appeared. He did not seem surprised by that and he simply nodded in acknowledgement.

On her way out she noticed the elven healer with the almost burnt hand and she paused ready to utter a question but then she shook her head, perplexed.

Her thoughts took her back to the rest of the conversation in the meeting. They had talked about increasing their patrols, placing archers in the outskirts of Ellesmira and examining the minds of even the closest of friends for an impending threat.

_And so it has begun. Maybe our enemys' plan was not to intimidate us, or seek something after all but spread mistrust and suspicion_, Firnen said in her mind, a voice of reason and wisdom.

_If so, then they may have already succeeded._

**A/N: Thanks for your reviews on the previous chapter! I will continue writing, don't worry, its just that I have had a lot of assignments to submit lately. After the 17th December expect more chapters coming up! **


	31. Under Control

**Under Control.**

"Hello Kayla"

Kayla raised her head from the ground and stared at her brother.

"Hello to you too" she replied and closed her eyes again. She was trying to concentrate on making another type of plant as she had grown bored of daisies. The magic was taking the shape she wanted and she tried to visualise the bright colours…

"BOOM!" her brother shouted next to her ear and she lost her control and conventration, the magic disappearing.

She opened her eyes and stared at her brother with a deadly expression.

"I better hope this is important" Kayla whispered and Tristan smiled at her and gently punched her on the shoulder.

She tried to move away from his reach but he caught her in a deadly embrace, no doubt practising some of the moves from Octavian's lesson, and she struggled to free herself.

"What do you want Tristan?" she asked as she pushed her head out of her brother arms. He was flushed and smiling at her.

"The usual stuff, you know. I feel like we haven't been spending much quality time, lately" he said and she started walking back to her spot in the hill, ready to practise her magic.

This afternoon they had been given some free time, as Eragon and some of the trainers had gone to visit Ramirblaka and re-establish their relationship with the wild dragons.

"Tristan if it's about Aiedail then let me tell you that we have talked and she understands that I am not going to ride her" Kayla said, guessing her brother's intentions.

Tristan shook his head and smiled again.

"It is not about Aiedail although I highly doubt you have actually reached an understanding" he said and Kayla sighed.

Indeed they hadn't. There were many things troubling her lately, one of them being Aiedail and she had decided to talk to the dragon but she had yet to be given a chance.

She was not going to ride the dragon, her decision on this was solid, but she hated the fact that Aiedail might be at a disadvantage against other dragons due to their lack of a proper bond. When she had followed the Shade in the clearing she had decided there and then that she would protect the dragon.

So far she had failed, she knew this, but her emotions were conflicted. She could not open herself to the dragon but she wanted Aiedail to stand an equal chance against every opponent, as all creatures deserved.

A rain drop fell on her face, making her return to the present moment. Tristan looked up to the sky and his eyebrows pulled together.

"The weather is changing. Let's hope that the riders will be able to return safely from Ramirblaka tonight" he said, worried.

Kayla sighed and threw a rock in the air.

"Tristan I appreciate the fact that you want to spend some time with me but I have things to do. Why don't you go to the rest of the riders? Go to Laer or … Gwen?" she offered but at the mention of the name Tristan's expression suddenly darkened.

Then he smiled.

"I don't think Gwen wants to spend any time with me. And besides I want to see you! You can tell me all about the things you do when the rest of us are flying or I can teach you how to land a proper punch" he teased and one of his blond braids fell on the side.

_Does he know_?, Kayla wondered and her heart beat quickened remembering the hooded figure and the scream of the shadow wyrm when her spell had gone wrong. She swallowed and turned around.

She should have told one of the dorm leaders or the masters of training but she knew that they would ask access to her mind and she could not allow them to do so. But maybe one of them had found out, maybe they wanted to examine her every thought again, gain access to the deepest parts of her memories…

"I promise I will be nice. If I see blood or bruises forming I will stop! You don't have to look so scared. It's just training!" Tristan offered in a light manner and she stared back at him, trying to guess what he was thinking.

Tristan was smiling at her and he was his usual calm, happy and relaxed shelf. He did not appear to have any ulterior motives. Maybe she was misjudging the situation after all.

She shook her head trying to clear it of all thoughts and nodded.

"So what do you want to do then?" she asked curious and pointed at the dark clouds that had started gathering above them as some more rain droplets fell.

Tristan smiled.

"I am glad you are seeing reason, little sis! First, I think we need to speak to someone, someone we haven't talked to in a long while…" he said in a mischievous manner and Kayla raised her eyebrow.

Nevertheless, she followed her brother down the path which led to Glieonard, all the way thinking that he somehow wanted to trick her. When they reached the base of the training centre Tristan entered the Grand Hall.

"Isn't it too early for dinner?" she asked curious and slightly cautious. Tristan shook his head and continued forward until he reached a building near the library. Two elder riders stood there, in front of scrying mirrors and with books on their laps.

Tristan cleared his throat and one of them put the book down.

"Ah, young riders. How may I help you?" he asked and Kayla felt her heart beat quicken.

_What is Tristan planning?,_ she wondered once again.

"We would like to see our mother" her brother said and that took her completely by surprise. She swallowed.

"Tristan, is it a good idea? Scrying mirrors haven't been very helpful lately…" she started but he stopped her.

"Nonsense! How long has it been since you last spoke to mother, Kayla?" he asked her and to that she could not reply.

She stared at the ground instead, realising that it had been long indeed. The thought of an unearthly being entering the conservation was still a strong possibility. She could say no. But Kayla missed her mother much and so she kept silent and let the elders work their magic, the scrying mirror taking the image of her mother.

This time their mother was awake and slightly startled. Then recognising her son's face, she smiled.

"Tristan!" she said joyful and then turning her head slightly she realised that Kayla was there as well. "Kayla! I haven't talked to you in such a long time! How are you finding the island? Are there many books in the library? Are they keeping you company or have you made any new friends?" she asked, the stream of questions rushing out fast and unstoppable.

For a moment Kayla paused and studied her mother, like she often did. She looked older, but not as tired as when she had last seen her. She was not happy but… Accepting.

Tristan and Kayla spent most of their evening talking to their mother and exchanging news about Arhan village and Dis Atilan. Villagers had rebuilt the central buildings in the square but the winter promised to be long and cold. Yet their mother was not worried because as she explained, Grion often brought her meat and supplies for the winter and she still had her job which gave her enough money to take care of herself.

On their way back to their dorms, Kayla felt unexpectedly content. Not happy, but relaxed. She replied to her brother's jokes and whenever he tried to punch her she dodged. When Tristan saw Vertigo flying above them, he left to join his dragon in the air. Kayla looked up, once, and then down again.

She preferred the warm water more.

Kayla momentarily closed her eyes and let her thoughts take her to places where her legs couldn't. Suddenly though, she snapped them open and scanned her periphery. There was a presence near her, one that hadn't been there a few moments ago. She crouched, her heart beating furiously inside her chest and then her eyes met the eyes of the intruder.

It was a cat, a small cat with a grey-white fur coat and grey-blue eyes that she felt she had seen before. No, she definitely recognised the eyes…

_Maud_, Kayla said.

_Youth is wasted on the immortal_, a voice inside her mind said and the cat tentatively raised one of her paws and licked it.

_What do you mean?,_ she asked the werecat.

The creature glanced back and walked around her in a circle.

_I have seen a lot of death, a lot of pain, a lot of suffering. But I have also seen a lot of life, a lot of beauty, a lot of wonder. Our years add up to a series of moments. We never know when or where they will happen, but they stick with us, marking us forever. The problem with living forever is not the pain or the loss. It's when life seizes to surprise you. _

_Every generation likes to think they are improving upon the last. That progress is inevitable. That the future holds less misery and suffering that the past. But the truth is that some things never change. History has a way of repeating itself. It's just most creatures don't live long enough to see it happen. _

_I can tell you with certainty that what keeps us alive is not magic, nor energy, blood, love but… hope. Hope that things will be better. Hope that history will not repeat itself._

_You have been offered a gift and a curse, Kayla, although your thoughts might lean more towards the latter. You should be thankful for all that is given and for all that is denied. See the potential in things that do not yet exist. You have a choice, Kayla. We all have a choice. Just make sure you choose wisely when the time comes,_ the werecat ended, holding her gaze with her own glassy one and then jumping above her.

Kayla turned around to see where the cat had gone, but not surprisingly it had disappeared into the forest, which rose dark and tall, offering both protection and solitude. She thought she saw a flicker of movement in the background, something that very much looked like an animal with horns, but she could not be sure because another noise, a louder one seized her attention.

Kayla was suddenly faced with Aiedail. The grand purple dragon took her by surprise. The she-creature had grown a few meters more in the last few weeks, her wing span now larger than ever before, while still maintaining a lean physique and a slender body.

_Aiedail_, Kayla whispered, acknowledging the dragon's presence.

If the dragon was surprised that Kayla had finally spoken first, it did not show it.

_What do you want? I thought we agreed to keep to ourselves…._

_Of course, but… I need to apologise to you. I have mistreated you and ignored you even though you have done nothing wrong and caused me no harm for the most part_, Kayla explained.

Aiedail raised one large talon towards the girl's direction and Kayla held her breath.

_For the most part?,_ the dragon asked, her steely gaze holding Kayla's one.

_You did attack me when you hatched, if you remember,_ Kayla said, raising an eyebrow.

The dragon snorted and let out a whiff of smoke that sparked in the dark landscape. There was little light left, Kayla realised, as winter was approaching and the sun set much earlier than it did in the summer.

_That was only because I was trying to protect myself from your terrified, murderous thoughts!_

_Murderous thoughts?,_ Kayla inclined.

Aiedail pressed her front legs forward and laid on the ground, her eyes on the same height as Kayla's.

_Yes_, she answered and Kayla stayed silent for a bit.

She looked at the sky above and then at the forest behind her as she thought she heard a foreign cry, but her dragon appeared unmoved.

_Something happened a long time ago. Something I cannot entirely remember and don't want to remember. For this I cannot let anyone enter my thoughts. To give someone the power to control you is to give them the power to destroy you,_ Kayla replied.

_You hide beneath this anger, this façade. You really have an expertise in avoiding any real intimacy._

_Perhaps I enjoy the solitude,_ Kayla replied realizing that what the dragon had said was very true.

_Real connections are the only thing any of us are looking for_, Aiedail replied and her expression was sympathetic, two large violet eyes.

_When did you become so wise?,_ Kayla asked in a teasing manner.

_When you were spending your time inside books and near the scrying mirrors_, Aiedail replied and moved her tail to the other side, slightly wincing.

Kayla noticed the discoloured skin and went to examine it further, but the dragon stepped back.

_It's just a scratch. Nothing to worry about_, Aiedail replied but Kayla still approached her and kneeled next to the dragon, so close that she could feel the heat emitting underneath the silvery-purple scales.

"_Weise heal_" Kayla said in a low tone, feeling the magic leave her body and sparks flying from her fingers as they landed on Aiedail's skin. The dragon winced slightly and then her expression softened.

Kayla walked back to her previous spot and let out a sigh.

_I cannot promise that I will ride you or that I will fully open myself to you but I am willing to try. Never again will you be weaker than any of the other dragons because of me_, Kayla promised.

_That is all I have ever asked for_, the dragon replied and for once, she looked satisfied.

They walked back to the human dorm in silence, even though Aiedail could have very easily flown.

Kayla fell on her bed and smiled. Whatever was happening at the outside world, at the moment, was at bay. Her mother and brother were safe and her dragon was becoming … well… stronger. She closed her eyes, ready to sleep but an unexpected noise woke her.

_Did you hear that?,_ she asked the dragon who nodded. Kayla walked outside of her room and wondered who it was.

A wave of dark hair flew past her but she was not fast enough to recognise the face. The front door closed and Kayla felt her right palm tingling.

_One of the riders?,_ Aiedail asked and Kayla nodded although she was not sure who. She returned to her bed and closed her eyes. She fell asleep but before she did she couldn't help but wonder.

_Who would be up so late and why?_


	32. Snow Fight - Part 1

**Snow fights – part 1**

Winter had settled in for good and temperatures were dropping in an alarmingly fast rate. The hot water from the volcanos was not enough to warm the buildings and often, fires had to be light instead. Despite the dragons' constant energy heat supply, even they, eventually grew tired and cold. This in turn had resulted in Fiord catching a cold and it was not uncommon to hear loud sneezes and sniffles in the middle of the night.

When Tristan woke up the next day he wasn't surprised to see snow covering every visible inch of Dis Atilan. He jumped from his bed and rushed to the windows to look outside.

_First snow of the year, Vertigo. Come see!,_ he shouted excited in his dragon's mind.

He heard a tired growl and then saw his dragon's form moving and staring outside.

_What is this sorcery?,_ Vertigo bellowed and started stepping away from the white stuff, with a horrified expression on his reptilian face.

_Just snow…!,_ Tristan laughed and quickly dressed up, putting on many warm layers and stepped outside of his room. He knocked on Gwen's, Laer's, Gas's and Kayla's doors.

Soon the riders had gathered in the storage room, breaking their fast on dried fruits, nuts and freshly kneaded warm bread with honey. Tristan appeared to be the only one excited about the snow.

"It will just make the ground freeze and next year's crops might not grow as much. Plus if it's snowing in Alagaesia as much as it's snowing here, then the Games will have to be cancelled" Gas said looking at the grey clouds outside.

"I thought the Games would be cancelled because of the attacks? It would be foolish to hold them now with the shadow wyrm threat looming" Gwen replied.

She looked solemn and the way she was behaving was similar to how she had been acting at their very first encounter. Tristan did not know why but ever since they had returned from Ramirblaka her stance had been cold. He had tried talking to her, to understand what was happening but she had waved him off with the usual excuse of having errands to run.

"But there have been no attacks for more than two months now. The people in Alagaesia cannot keep pausing their daily activities because of the threat. And if the Games don't happen now when will they? Will we postpone them until the threat is extinguished? This may take years " Laer said in a thoughtful manner.

"I guess it will be up to the Leaders of the Races and Queen Nasuada to decide" Kayla said and Tristan watched Gwen's expression momentarily changing but she soon regained her previous composure.

"Let's go riders. We have lessons to attend to!" Gwen said and rushed out the door. Tristan ran after her before the other riders could catch up with them.

"Gwen, are you all right?" he whispered to her and caught her arm. The wind blew her curly, dark hair away from her face and he noticed that she had dark circles under her eyes.

"No worse than usual, rider. If you will excuse me, we have duties to attend to" she replied and walked away from him in a fast pace.

Tristan stood in the middle of the trees and the snow, feeling bewildered, until the rest of the human riders caught up with him.

"I hate the snow" Kayla complained and rubbed her hands on her arms.

Laer offered her one of his overcoats which Kayla happily accepted. They continued their trip upwards to meet the rest of the riders and soon they reached the volcano crater.

The only part which was not covered in snow was the volcano crater and there was a ring of brown earth around. Compared to the rest of the landscape it looked naked.

Tristan expected to see Octavian but instead he felt Vertigo's voice in his mind.

_Flying lessons are cancelled today. Weather is too rough for flying and even though Saphira thought it was a good idea to practise flying moves Eragon disagreed_, Vertigo said in his mind, sounding disappointed and landed on the snow next to him causing quite a few snowflakes to fly towards the direction of the riders.

Some of the snow reached Tristan's direction and he jumped out the way, raising his eyebrows at his dragon.

_Woops_, Vertigo said in his mind and made a throaty noise that sounded a lot like chuckling.

Fiord flew to where the riders were as well, but his landing was not as smooth as Vertigo's and more snow exploded around them.

Adrian paused the snowflakes in mid-air just before they hit him and he looked at the dragons disapprovingly.

"Dragons you should know how to land properly by now" Adrian said in an obnoxious manner and pointed at his mahogany dragon landing. "Mars did not even raise one snowflake"

Just then Octavian slid from his dragon's back and landed on the soft snow, his earring making a ringing noise upon contact. He looked at the young riders in a mischievous manner and grinned.

"That actually might not be such a terrible idea. Riders you will be split into four teams. You can use wooden sticks, magic and your dragons if you must. The aim of this game will be to find me and get this cloth" Octavian said and ripped a piece of his shirt and held it in the air. "No major mind duels or sword fighting is allowed. Magic should only be used when necessary" he said and smiled, obviously pleased with himself.

Tristan raised his eyebrows while Octavian was rearranging them into groups. He was placed in the same team as May and Maya, Grohn, and Adrian. Kayla was with Laer, Gwen and Maurine while Rikon was in another team all together.

_This should be interesting,_ Vertigo said in his mind while regarding the rest of the dragons.

_Considering I don't particularly like Adrian and find the twin girls creepy then yes this should be interesting indeed!,_ he said and the group gathered somewhere in a corner to devise their battle plan while Octavian went to hide.

…

"Dragons can fly so maybe it will be easier for them to search for Octavian?" Maurine suggested as Kayla pressed her back against the bark of a tree shivering.

She hated the snow and the idea of having to do anything near it made her cringe.

"You forget that the weather is not suitable for flight. The dragons might be able to fly slightly above ground but not too high otherwise the gusts of wind will throw them off balance" Laer said and pointed at the moving trees.

"Octavian is a master of trickery and hiding will probably be one of his specialities. Finding him will not be as easy as you might expect. The best course of action would be to sense him by magic, it's easier to find him and it won't be like looking for a straw in hay needles. But the three of you…" Gwen said pointing at Kayla and Laer "…don't know how to sense beings around you just yet which causes a problem" Gwen continued and kneeled on the ground, drawing lines on the snow with a twig, absentminded.

"What if we split and searched?" Maurine suggested again but Laer quickly shook his head.

"That would be again like searching straw in hay needles and we would also be vulnerable if we split because the other teams can attack us" Gwen explained and sighed.

Kayla rubbed her arms on her shoulders to warm herself and Aiedail landed next to her. Surprised, she stepped back from the dragon but the heat emitting from the creature was enough for her to reconsider and bring her closer to Aiedail.

_Thank you_, she said to the grey-purple dragon who nodded.

_We might not be able to fly but there must be a way we can be helpful_, Onyx said and Gwen raised her eyebrows.

_We do have acute sense of smell you know_, Aiedail said and Saturn gazed at her appreciatively.

"Are we looking for Octavian or his dragon though? They may have split ways to confuse us" Laer said and Gwen was thoughtful.

_Both,_ Saturn replied._ If we see their smell splitting then we will go our separate ways but until then we follow the trail._

They all nodded and Gwen looked at Kayla's direction.

"Any thoughts on the matter?" the human dorm leader asked politely and Kayla raised her eyebrows.

"What if we get attacked or don't find the trail?" she asked and waited for a reply. Laer smiled, while Gwen's forehead wrinkled in concentration. Maurine eagerly awaited an answer.

"Out of the four of us I believe Laer and I excel in fights but for mind duelling I think Kayla, you will be our best shot. If we get attacked you can try blocking any mental attacks and Maurine will slip away with one of the dragons so they can find the trail. If we cannot find the trail then I have no other choice but try to mentally sense Octavian's presence while you guard me" Gwen said and Maurine whistled.

"You have thought of everything, haven't you?" Kayla said and she found herself pleasantly amused and smiled.

The human dorm leader nodded.

"We shall see. Let the Snow Fights begin!"

…..

Tristan was running around as fast as he could but the snow made his task difficult. He didn't particularly like Adrian's plan but as they had no better alternative he had agreed to follow it. Vertigo was flying above him but not too high as the gusts of wind were particularly dangerous. Yet, he was the best dragon situated for the task and Vertigo did not take his role lightly.

_Focus, young human,_ Vertigo said in his mind and flew extremely close to the volcano crater while Tristan jumped to the other hand side.

_Do you think it will be enough to catch their attention?,_ Tristan wondered.

_Possibly, although I hate being bait. _

_Me and you both_, Tristan said and sighed just as he saw something poking from the end of his vision.

He paused and hid behind a bush just as Rikon emerged from the other side of the hill.

Tristan hid a secret smile just as he held one of the snowballs he had just created.

_And … Attack!,_ he shouted in his partner of heart's mind and jumped from his hiding place.

The snow balls took Rikon by surprise and hit him full on, while Vertigo landed on the snow with such force that he caused a mini avalanche.

_Sweet!,_ the dragon bellowed, obviously pleased with himself.

Suddenly they both saw Gas flying on his dragon and moving fast towards Adrian and the twins.

_Shoot! I knew it was a distraction!,_ Tristan shouted while Vertigo roared loudly to warn their team members of the upcoming danger.

He climbed on his dragon's saddle and watched the two headed grey-white creature and Mars attacking Gas's dragon.

Gas's female dragon, Inal, was a tough one but against Mars and Cyclops – the twins' dragon- she stood little to no chances. Somewhere behind the dragons the three elves sat deep in concentration, trying to find Octavian's aura. Out of the five of them the elves were the most skilled in magic so they had stayed back, with their dragons protecting them, while Tristan, Grohn and their two dragons were to act as distractions.

Soon, Inal lost against Mars and Gas jumped from her back, trying to reach the elves. Tristan let a loose arrow at his direction which was enough to sway the rider from his original intentions. He turned towards Tristan who shot another arrow, which landed a few feet near him.

Theoretically, he could injure Gas as long as the injury was not fatal, but still he feared the consequences of such an action so he refrained from doing so. Instead he started throwing snowballs at the rider's direction, but Gas dodged them all and ran faster towards him.

_Vertigo, are you busy?,_ Tristan asked his dragon.

_That depends,_ Vertigo said and Tristan felt the strong gusts of wind against his dragon's scales.

_I might need your aid against Gas._

_Adrian informed me of Lenor's - Octavian's dragon - hiding place and I am checking it out. Aiedail and Onyx are following my trail though so I need to be fast!_

_I will deal with Gas then_, Tristan said and threw more snowballs at the rider's direction.

Direct combat with the older rider would be useless. Tristan already knew what the outcome of this would be. If Vertigo was indeed close to finding Octavian the only thing he needed to do was stall the human.

He quickly run to the nearest bush and threw more snowballs at Gas's direction as well as arrows.

"Ha!" he shouted happily, but then realised he could no longer see the human. He felt a presence behind him and at the very last moment he grabbed a stick to defend himself from Gas's attack.

**A/N: Don't forget to leave reviews! Part 2 will be posted tomorrow. Also I have changed the Prologue so that it now contains a list of all the names of the riders, dragon names etc.**


	33. snow fights - part 2

**Snow fights – part 2**

_Vertigo must have picked up the same trail we are on!,_ Aiedail said in the riders' minds.

Kayla sighed angrily and tried to stay calm and silent while she watched Laer and Gwen trying to approach the three elves who were in a circle.

_If we distract them then Vertigo will not know which trail to follow,_ Gwen whispered in the riders' minds.

Maurine had managed to slip in the corner and she let out an almost audible gasp.

_What is it?, _Laer quickly asked and the dwarven girl shook her head angrily.

_There are only two elves here, but they are not Adrian or the twins. This must be the other team_!, she said annoyed.

_Barzul!,_ Gwen swore. _If the other riders are not here then we won't be able to stop Vertigo on time._

Kayla tapped her foot on the ground and scanned her periphery. She could see the two elves deep in concentration and all around them, dragons and another dwarf were guarding them while she did not doubt that the forth rider had been sent off to look for Octavian after following the elves' directions.

Suddenly, she felt a sudden surge of satisfaction emitting from her dragon.

_What is it?,_ Kayla eagerly asked.

_Octavian's and Lenor's scents have split. This means Vertigo is heading towards the wrong direction_, she said and both she and Onyx quickly changed their course and searched for Octavian's scent.

_There is still hope! Let's attack the riders here. We might us well lessen their chances of finding Octavian,_ Gwen suggested and indeed she and Laer started attacking the other team.

However, the other team sensed them on time and retaliated.

_Retreat Riders!,_ Gwen warned and started running back, while she formed a shield with magic in order for the riders to be protected from flying arrows and the sort.

Kayla had never tried her luck at mind dueling, but at that moment she felt something trying to gain access into her mind and she winced. She fought back and saw one of the elves opposite her, press his lips in pain.

_There_, she thought and smiled to herself, pleased.

The other team stopped running after them and for a moment they had time to pause and regroup.

_We have Octavian's scent_, Onyx said in the riders' mind proudly and Kayla smiled.

"Yay! We are close!" Maurine shouted, but just then three riders emerged from the forest and she screamed.

"Attack" Gwen cried and she and Laer ran to where Adrian and the twins where, but before they could land a single blow they paused and closed their eyes in what appeared to be deep pain.

"Kayla!" Gwen shouted, her voice sounding strained, and she kneeled on the ground from the force of the mental attack.

Kayla stared at Adrian, Maya and May and took in a deep breath.

Was it too much to take on three elves at the same time? How confident was she really in her mind dueling abilities? She only knew how to defend her own mind and not the minds of the riders around her. And the thought of anyone entering her thoughts was a daunting one.

Suddenly it felt as if someone was throwing punches in her mind and she angrily raised her boundaries and stared at Adrian with malice. For some reason she was certain he was the head of the team so she concentrated on him. She looked deep in his forest-green eyes and despite the distance between them she could see them sparkling.

His boundaries were tall and strong, there was no doubt about that. It felt like if she extended her arm she would be able to touch them and feel how rough and strong they were. So she did just that, but instead of touching them she started punching them and she felt tiny pieces of the walls break.

Adrian closed his eyes for just a second and when he opened them again his boundaries had grown bigger. This did not stop Kayla, however, and she used her magic like a whip demolishing Adrian's boundaries.

He winced and kneeled on the ground. Suddenly, Kayla felt herself being in complete control over somebody else's body. In that moment she could do whatever she wished with Adrian's body or dwell further into Adrian's memories. This sudden power felt unnatural, but she was curious to find out more about it. There seemed to be a pleasant but horrifying song playing in the background of Adrian's thoughts. It would be easy to lose herself in the rhythm of it or the dark green landscapes that seemed to extend at the corners of her vision, but she did not.

_I can do whatever I want_, she thought to herself, unsure whether Adrian heard her or not.

_Kayla, focus_! _We have a mission to complete!,_ Aiedail shouted in the girl's mind, but the dragon's voice felt like a long-forgotten poem.

She was so curious to find out more about the elf, unlock his deepest secrets, control his every movement if she could….

_No!,_ she heard a voice inside her mind, a voice that did not belong to Aiedail or Adrian, but someone else entirely. It was a familiar voice, one she felt like she had heard before.

She could choose to ignore it, but as she had done at times before, she instead listened to its warning. Resisting the urge to have control over Adrian's body was probably one of the hardest things she had ever done. Kayla pulled herself from Adrian's mind and returned to her own. She snapped her eyes open and noticed that Adrian and the twins girls were kneeling on the ground as were Laer and Gwen, but all looked more alert than ever.

_We found Octavian,_ Onyx said.

_He is not alone, however. The other team managed to get there before we did, _Aiedail growled disappointed.

_Surely not Adrian's team?,_ Maurine asked.

_No it was the team with Rikon and Gas in it_, Aiedail announced.

Adrian and the twin girls must have received the exact same news, because they suddenly looked solemn. They turned around and quickly walked away before exchanging any other words. Kayla and Maurine went to Gwen's and Laer's side. The riders looked weary.

"Are you okay?" Maurine asked in a small voice and both of them nodded.

"Losing in a mind duel is not a pleasant feeling. It makes you feel drained afterwards" Gwen explained.

"It was a close match though and far more interesting than the usual running and sword fighting although we did quite a lot of that as well" Laer said, smiling. His hair was in a pony-tail and it flew to the left hand side.

The riders started walking back, but Kayla let Gwen and Maurine walk ahead of them and held Laer's arm, forcing him to turn to her direction. The other rider looked at her, slightly perplexed.

"Why did you stop me? I knew it was your voice in my mind" she said in a serious manner.

Laer held her wrist and gently removed her hand from his arm.

"I did not stop you, I merely warned you. You stopped yourself" he replied and smiled to her.

"You did not answer my question" Kayla insisted, but he shook his head. She sighed but she couldn't put her many doubts at bay. "I know you have been coming to the human dorms late at night. What do you do at that time, Laer? What are you really?" she insisted, hoping to get some answers out of him, but again he smiled, that cryptic smile of his, just as their two dragons landed on the side causing a few snowflakes to land on both of them.

Laer extended his arm and in an unexpected movement he brushed the snowflakes from her hair, which only infuriated her further. He then jumped on Onyx's back and the dragon prepared to take off.

Kayla could have stopped him if she wanted to. She could have used the tendril of magic that resided in her mind and felt as if it had a life of its own, demanding to take a form and release its energy into the world, but she did not. Instead, she placed her palms on Aiedail's grey-purple scales and watched Onyx rising slightly above the ground.

"What are you Laer?" she shouted angrily, louder this time.

Kayla did not expect to get a reply, but the rider turned his face, his goat horns protruding above the river of straight black hair and his dark eyes shone golden.

"I am the same as you"

…

Tristan had messed up. He knew this and he was very angry with himself. When Gas attacked he knew he would lose but he could have stalled the other rider longer. Instead he had tripped, lost his balance and fallen on the snow, a stupid mistake. This had resulted in Gas running away and offering his help to his team, while Tristan had been tied on a tree, helpless.

Vertigo landed next to him and sliced the ropes that held him prisoner. As soon as the ropes fell on the ground Tristan rubbed his wrists and stretched his limbs in an annoyed manner. From the top of the hill he could see Adrian approaching and he sighed.

_This will end badly._

_Would you like roast elf for dinner?,_ Vertigo offered and that made Tristan smile.

_Possibly,_ the rider replied just as Adrian reached his side, his expression a deadly one.

"You should have stalled him longer! If you had done as you were asked the other team would not have caught us unawares and we would have been able to fight against Gwen's team. Instead you stood there doing nothing!" the elf shouted.

May and Maya watched the exchange silently while exchanging frequent glances amongst themselves.

"I am sorry, I messed up. But it is not my fault entirely that we lost" Tristan said and raised an eyebrow.

The elf's brown eyebrows pulled together and he took a few steps forward. He held his finger up and pointed it at Tristan's chest.

"You had one job. If this was a real life scenario we would have died" he simply said.

Tristan shook his head angrily.

"Don't you think I know that? I honestly do. But our training is nowhere near finished yet…" Tristan was saying but Adrian stared at the dark green forest and shook his head.

He went to say something, then stared at Tristan and turned away. Tristan heard the twin girls laughing from the back and he wished the earth could open up and swallow him. Together with Grohn they walked back to their dorms in silence. The sun had already started to set and as the weather was progressively getting worse the lessons had finished early for the day. As soon as he was in the human dorm, he jumped into one of the baths and washed the sweat and dirt from his body, sinking his head in the hot water and bubbles.

_If it makes you feel any better, we were really close to winning,_ Vertigo said and Tristan smiled.

_It doesn't, but thanks. I am not annoyed that we lost, but by Adrian's obnoxious behaviour. Who does he think he is? I know I am not the best at sword-fighting or wrestling but that's what training is for! It's not my fault that I wasn't raised in an environment where magic and wielding a sword is like walking and running_, Tristan said annoyed, until he heard a knock on the door.

"Coming" he said but the knock sounded again and annoyed he pulled one of the towels closest to him and wrapped it around his waist.

The door opened and Adrian entered, then stopped, staring at Tristan's form.

"What? Is there more to blame me for?" he asked the elf angrily.

For a moment Adrian seemed lost of words, first looking at the ground and then at Tristan.

"I am sorry for what I said earlier. It was not your fault entirely" Adrian said, his voice trembling at the end.

This was probably the first time Tristan had seen him almost at a loss of words.

"Apology accepted. I know how hard it is for you to admit this." he said and smiled.

"Don't push it human" Adrian warned but nodded nevertheless, looked at Tristan one last time and then walked away.

_Did he only come here to apologise?,_ Vertigo asked in his mind.

_I guess so._

_Two legged creature behaviour exceeds the range of my understanding._

_Mine as well,_ Tristan said and walked out of the bath, his braids falling to one side. Angrily he pushed it back and just then the human dorm leader walked past him.

Their eyes met for just a second until he felt her gaze moving. Gwen's cheeks now had a rosy colour and she cleared her throat, walking away from him fast.

Vertigo let out a throaty laugh.

_I think you might have dazzled the female rider. _

Tristan smiled.

_Doubtful._

….

On their way back to the human dorm, Kayla shivered more than once and Aiedaiil kept blowing whiffs of smoke around to melt some of the snow. As soon as they entered the human dorm, Kayla curled near the fire while the snow outside fell heavily.

_I could have so easily done whatever I wanted with Adrian's body. Having so much power was rather exhilarating, _she said in Aiedail's mind_. It tempted me to do things I did not think myself capable of. When you have control over someone else you can do whatever you want. _

_But you didn't. You stopped,_ Aiedail said and Kayla smiled.

_Maybe. But next time I might not. You cannot understand the feeling of knowing you have another being at your complete control._

_This is exactly how I feel when I am about to have my dinner. I know that I shall choose when a shark will turn from a live being into food._

_But this was different… It was so much more…._

_Kayla_, Aiedail said warningly.

_I know and you are right. I was just curious about so many things and I knew that at the snap of my fingers I could get my answers_, Kayla said and then paused. _What do you think Laer is hiding? I thought I trusted him. I think his intentions are pure but it troubles me much that he has secrets._

_Don't you have secrets? Don't we all?_

_I guess so,_ Kayla said perplexed and shook her head. _What did he mean by saying that we were the same? Did he mean that we were both dragon riders? Both human?_

_I do not know, Kayla. But unless it is necessary or you have serious doubts about Laer's or anybody else's loyalty I do not think it is wise to probe the minds of others._

_Perhaps_, the girl replied and closed her eyes, her strain of thoughts disordered.

**A/N: Again, don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav and Happy New Year and Holidays everyone :)! **


	34. Lesson 4: Magic

**Lesson 4: Magic**

Tristan woke up in the middle of the night and he looked around him perplexed. It was too early for him to have woken up so why was he up?

Soon he heard the reason of his awakening and he sighed. Fiord's loud sneeze echoed in the night and annoyed he pressed his palms over his ears in an attempt to cover the noise. He wondered how much longer the dragon's cold would last since it had been at least a week.

Another louder sneeze sounded close to him and Tristan rose from his bed and looked outside of his window. His dragon sniffed.

_Sorry_, he said in a voice that did not sound like he was sorry at all.

_Oh no, Vertigo! Not you too!,_ Tristan thought and cursed his luck.

Realising that he would not get any more sleep tonight, he rose from his bed and decided to have an early bath. He headed to the steam room and turned on the tap with the hot water in order to fill the bath tub. Steam quickly rose and water droplets clung to the cold windows' surface. Outside, some snow still covered a few patches of earth. With the start of the New Year, the temperatures had increased only slightly and the weather was not yet ideal for flying, as sudden rain and snow storms were not uncommon. The riders would spend most of their time exercising outside, doing the Rimgar or studying History and Ancient Language Lessons while the young dragons only flew at low attitudes.

_I hate not being able to fly high enough. I think Eragon and Saphira are just overreacting_, Vertigo complained in Tristan's mind.

_You forget that it is not only dangerous for you but for the riders as well. Just the cold and the wind is enough for us to freeze,_ Tristan explained.

_Hmph_, was his dragon's reply and as soon as the sun was up the riders began with their daily activities.

Today, instead of heading to the Library however, they went to the Central Gathering Building. Inside, Idel, Mirin, Eragon and some of the elder riders stood, discussing the potential upcoming Games.

"It's the year of the Games, Eragon! How long will we have to wait until we continue with our daily activities? We have not had any attacks for a long time now!" the dwarven rider was explaining.

"Have you forgotten, Melor? He is of your kin and his situation is still grave. The elves tell me that he will not live to see the Games. Ingrid has also been injured, although she appears to be in a better situation" Idel, the Master of Magic, replied in a grave tone.

To that, Mirin had no answer, while Eragon stood thoughtful in a corner.

"If it was up to me alone, I would not let the Games happen but unfortunately it is up to Alagaesia's Leaders to decide. From what I understand they want the Games to happen. Especially the Urgals since it will be mating season for them soon and they need to prove themselves to the females" Eragon said and sighed.

Then realising he had an audience – that of the young riders – he smiled.

"Kvetha, fricaya" he said in the Ancient Language and it took Tristan a moment to realise that he was saying: Greetings, friends.

_At least the Ancient Language Lessons seem to be paying off_, Vertigo commented.

"I hear that some of you have requested to have an audience with me?" Eragon asked the young riders and Tristan looked around him, perplexed.

_I did not know we had asked for an audience,_ Tristan said perplexed in Vertigo's mind.

Rikon, Grohn, Maurine and Gas stepped forward alongside some of the older elves. Eragon rose an eyebrow and Grohn cleared his throat.

"It is an honour to speak to you, Shadeslayer. I, and the other riders ask permission to leave Dis Atilan and return to Alagaesia in time for the upcoming Games. If possible we would like to see them in person since a lot of our close relatives and friends will participate this year" the Urgal said and at that Eragon shook his head and smiled, not unkindly.

_Riders, to venture into the seas at this time of year is a dangerous feat for experienced riders and dragons, let alone younglings. The trip back to Alagaesia is not a safe or easy one and if you do go you will need to be escorted by other riders. At this moment in time, with the shadow wyrm threat looming in the horizon, we do not have the number of riders needed to safely escort you there and back_, said Saphira in all the rider's and dragons' mind.

The disappointment was immediately evident in the young riders' movements and they stepped back.

Eragon smiled calmly to them.

_Do not despair just yet, riders. The Games have taken place in Alagaesia twice before and yet, in Dis Atilan, we have been able to watch the unfolding events, better than present spectators,_ Eragon added.

Then the Rider Leader's eyebrows pulled together.

_I see that many of you are still not able to actively converse using only mind connections. I also understand that many of you have yet to try your luck with magic. This is the other reason I brought you here. It is time for you to master these skills and thus your magic lessons with Idel will begin early,_ he said. _The Games in Alagaesia will be projected in the Central Gathering Building's scrying mirrors and fountains. Even though the Elders Riders will be responsible for showcasing these, u need to possess the required skill to cast these spells yourselves,_ he added and with that he made his way out, while Saphira stayed behind.

The elven Master of Magic, Idel walked forward. She arranged them into groups, according to experience and she told them to practise different spells. Beginner group included him, Kayla, Laer, Rikon, Grohn and Maurine. They had to practise the Risa spell and Tristan found himself extremely uninterested.

The dragons, on the other hand, had been placed outside to practise breathing fire. Tristan could hear Vertigo sneezing often and every time his dragon did so he couldn't help but smirk. He tried to concentrate on doing the simple spell, but with everyone else around him raising the stones which were on the ground, he despaired and soon gave up. His sister was also looking bored, but for an entirely different reason, as she moved the stone from side to side as it was as easy as walking.

The Experienced group of young riders included Gwen, the twin elven girls, an Urgal male he did not know and of course, Adrian. They were practising far more intricate spells, which included mind duelling and re-arranging various furniture with the least amount of effort possible.

_And I can't even make a rock rise!,_ he sighed exasperated.

_Keep trying_, his dragon advised but then he sneezed again and a gust of smoke-fire exploded from his nose. _Wow! Did you see that?_

Tristan was about to reply when he saw Idel approaching him. The elven rider had a serious expression fixed upon her face.

_Why are you not practising, rider?,_ she asked him.

_I was, but I can't do it_, he replied.

_You can talk to me and you can talk to your dragon. That means you have some magic inside you,_ the elf insisted.

_There have been riders in the past who were unable to practise much magic, but were still able to do the basic spells. You just need to keep practising_, she added and then turned to look at Kayla who was sitting on the ground with the rock flying above her head. His sister wasn't even looking at the rock or saying any spells and yet it did as she commanded.

The elf momentarily stood there, frozen.

"How are you able to do this? What sort of spell did you use?" she demanded from his sister. The girl looked at her, perplexed.

"I used the word _Risa_" she said and then let the stone fall to the ground.

The elf was shaking her head quickly.

"You should not be able to do this. Always state your intentions in the Ancient Language when using magic. It is dangerous to control magic with your mind" the Master of Magic said.

_Of course. Kayla can control magic with her mind and I can't even do it while saying the words. Great!,_ Tristan thought and he walked away from the Central Gathering Building, while Idel insisted on placing Kayla in the experienced group.

Tristan walked outside and felt the cold wind slap his face, while his boots sank into the soft snow. He rubbed his hands together to warm them up and saw Vertigo landing next to him.

_What are you doing? Go practise fire breathing!,_ Tristan said, not unkindly, but his dragon shook his head and then sneezed loudly.

Tristan only had a handful of seconds to move away from the gust of smoke-flame Vertigo had just produced. Tristan saw a small flame licking the edges of his jacket and without a second thought he fell on the snow and glared at Vertigo.

_I have been given the day off. Sneezing is not the best way to learn how to breathe fire,_ his dragon said and chuckled. _If it makes you feel any better Onyx can breathe straight fire bolts for twenty seconds. I can't even do one._

_Have you noticed that out of all the riders I am the only one unable to use magic? My sword fighting and wrestling abilities are not the best either and shooting arrows seems to be the only thing I am relatively good at, but without however, being the best. The elves get first place in that one, again_, Tristan said and sighed. _Even though I love being a rider, sometimes I feel like a failure._

Vertigo shot up. He seemed ready to say something, but then he sat back down and looked intently at a spot behind Tristan.

"Hi" a voice sounded and Tristan almost jumped. He turned around and looked at Gwen.

"Wow, you scared me" he said and smiled.

The human dorm leader nodded. Her cheeks were already flushed from being outside and she rubbed her hands quickly together.

"I didn't know how to use magic in the beginning either. It's not the easiest thing to learn but all you need is practise" she said in a reassuring tone.

Tristan hmphed. He tried to concentrate on the piece of rock he was holding but nothing happened so angrily he threw it on the ground. Gwen stepped forward and placed her palms on top of Tristan's temples. Momentarily, he stood frozen from the close-contact and he stared at her, as she closed her eyes deep in concentration.

_You can hear me, can't you?,_ she asked in a small voice.

_Yes_, Tristan replied.

Gwen then opened her eyes and removed her hands from his temples.

"Do what I did. Place your hands on my head and try to access my mind. I have no boundaries at the moment" she whispered and he stared at her, realising the weight of her decision.

He did not know where he had heard this but he remembered the saying. _To give someone control over you is to give them the power to destroy you. _Uncertain he took in a deep breath and gently touched his hands on her face. Warmth radiated from her and she closed her eyes.

"And now try to access my mind" she whispered, and her voice sounded unsteady.

He closed his eyes in turn and he felt the eyes of his dragon on his back. Tristan was concentrating hard and it felt like trying to solve a puzzle. Trying to place the pieces together in order to unlock the secret.

And then he felt it. Just the fleeting touch of another being's mind. So unique, so beautiful. And Gwen's mind and soul was indeed beautiful but also delicate. It felt that with a single movement of his he could break her.

_Gwen?_ He asked unsure and he felt blood pulsing quickly through the human's veins.

_Yes. Be careful Tristan,_ she warned and he felt her shivering.

_Did I … Do it?_ Tristan asked unsure and she nodded.

_Do you feel the presence of energy inside your mind?_

_Only slightly. It's very weak, very faint..._

_But it's there_, Gwen added and he felt her satisfaction.

The connection he now had with Gwen was not unlike the one he shared with Vertigo, although he found it very peculiar to be able to do so. Feel her feelings. But whereas with Vertigo it was a constant presence with Gwen it was more of a fleeting moment.

_Try to simply talk to me. Without entering my thoughts. Think of it as relaying a message_, Gwen explained and he nodded trying to only have the merest of contacts with the human.

_Hello Gwen_, he said and chuckled. He still had his hands on her face so he felt her expression changing but didn't feel her emotions.

_Exactly. Now try to do what you previously did…_ she started but at that moment Tristan heard Vertigo sneezing and he felt his contact with Gwen trembling. Confused, he tried to re-establish the connection, but soon realised that it was the wrong choice.

A turmoil of emotions and memories enveloped him which were not his own.

He saw Gwen as a small girl, screaming and crying, while she tried to hold on to the arms of a woman. He was only able to notice the deep gushes in the insides of the arms of the woman though, before the image fleeted away. Then he saw a town, located near a sea and he watched Gwen trying her luck at sailing. He saw Gwen looking to the sky and seeing a red dragon. He felt the emotions of excitement, love and affection. He saw the girl in front of an array of dragon eggs, with a familiar figure standing close to her. The figure was a rider for certain and he had dark hair and fair skin. Finally, he watched Gwen atop the deck of the ship sailing to Dis Atilan, holding a baby dragon in her arms, while above her a red dragon flew.

Tristan was thrown back into his own mind and he realised that he was standing in the snow, breathing hard and feeling exhausted. The human rider opposite him was breathing just as hard.

"I am sorry…" he began but Gwen raised her hand in the air while she tried to regain her composure.

"Don't. You have now seen that you can use magic. It won't be as easy entering mine and other peoples' minds again as it was entering my own now. With practise you will be able to raise your boundaries and also converse with other riders. In time you may even be able to cast spells. You have energy, your stores are small, but at least you have it" she said and unsteadily she walked back inside.

Tristan stared after her and his shoulders shook.

_Wow_, Vertigo simply replied before he sneezed again.

**A/N:****I have now decided to update every two weeks due to workload. I am not sure if you got the reference about Gwen's background but all young riders have an interesting background which may somewhat be related to characters from IC and will in time be revealed. Don't forget to tell me what you thought! **


	35. Tuatha du Orothim

_**Tuatha du orothrim**_

**A/N: Sorry for taking this long to upload a chapter, I can only blame the increasing amount of workload. The chapter is also a bit longer than usual, so it will hopefully keep you busy until I upload again. While writing it I was listening to : The Do - Dust it Off. **

Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

Tick…

_Aghh!,_ Kayla thought to herself and covered her ears in order to block the monotonous tone of the clock ticking by.

The Master of History and Ancient Language looked at her with a serious expression.

"Come on, keep writing. This is a test, students! One, you must pass in order to progress to the next set of classes!" Mirin said in a stern tone.

Kayla looked at her paper. She had written an answer to each one of questions on the paper and she did not doubt that they were the correct ones. She wasn't fluent in the Ancient Language, she had no illusions of that, but with the extra afternoon classes she had in the evenings while the riders had flying lessons, her skill and knowledge had progressed far beyond that of the other young riders.

The only problem?

She was not allowed to leave the classroom until the time was up.

Kayla pressed her head between the palms of her hands and counted the seconds. There was still half an hour to go but they had already been in the room for an hour and a half and she had finished the paper in the first forty minutes.

She leaned back on her chair and decided to look at the rest of the riders. They all seemed to be concentrating hard and writing down the answers. All apart from one.

Tristan gazed back at her and raised his eyebrows. Kayla returned the gesture and leaned back on her chair crossing her hands over her chest. She felt something at the edges of her mind, the weakest of probings and saw Tristan's eyebrows pressing together, a sign of concentration.

She smiled and entered Tristan's mind instead, with one swift move. He looked momentarily frozen in fear, like a doe.

_Did you try entering my mind? Adorable,_ she said in his mind and tried to contain a laugh as Mirin shot her a serious expression.

Tristan cleared his throat and raised his hands in the air.

_I tried to start a conversation with you, I had no intention of entering your mind_, he said and she smiled again and played with her pen.

_As if you could!_

_Do you know the answer to the third question?,_ he quickly asked her and Kayla looked at him, smiling again.

_To the point, I see. Of course I do_, she replied and found herself suddenly entertained. She stared at the clock and was happy to notice that there were only ten minutes left before her ordeal would be over.

_Ordeal?,_ Aiedail intervened, hearing her thoughts.

_Will you tell me the answer, please?_ Tristan asked and looked at his paper pretending to concentrate.

_I have suddenly become very popular,_ Kayla said amused in Aiedail's mind and the dragon hmphed.

_Tuatha du orothrim. Tempering the fool's wisdom. It's the first stage of our training. That's the answer to your question,_ Kayla said in her brother's mind. _How appropriate for this situation…_

_Thanks,_ Tristan replied and concentrated on his exam again.

Kayla however was already in his mind and she couldn't help herself. That was the first time she had entered her brother's mind at will, without it being a group conversation with other riders. She started gently probing…

_What are you doing?,_ Tristan asked alarmed and dropped his pen.

_Aha! I knew it! You stole the last cake slice on my birthday!,_ Kayla exclaimed as she looked at her brother's memory from long ago, when it had been her birthday and he had sworn that the goat had eaten her birthday cake.

_Kayla, stop doing that!,_ Tristan said annoyed and she reluctantly retreated from his mind.

_As you wish, but if you want an answer to another question I won't give it to you,_ she said and sighed looking at the clock.

Five minutes.

_Isn't it hypocritical of you not to allow access of your mind to other people and yet you easily enter their private thoughts and memories at will?,_ Aiedail asked and Kayla sighed.

_I didn't enter any important memories just one and I only did because I am bored_, she said and crossed her arms, annoyed.

_Tuatha du orothim_, Aiedail said and Kayla bit her tongue even more annoyed than before, just as he heard the bell in the classroom ringing loudly.

"Time is up!" Mirin said and went to take the papers from the students. Kayla quickly handed hers and exited the library before any of the other students could follow her.

_Finally_, she thought to herself, happy to be moving her body. She stared around her, as the winter sun streamed between the clouds and warmed her skin. So transfixed was she with the winter scenery that she didn't notice the dragons landing near her.

The young riders were already riding their dragons, ready for their lessons as soon as they had finished with their test. Vertigo did a slow dive to the ground and in an impressive acrobatic move Tristan jumped on his dragon without allowing Vertigo to touch the ground and then they rose to the skies. Kayla heard Rikon whistling as he, as well, rode his dragon.

She saw Aiedail's leg muscles tightening as the purple dragon landed on the soft patch of earth. Two violet eyes looked at her, the question evident on them.

_Kayla…,_ the dragon begun.

_No,_ the girl cut her and Aiedail flexed her wings and took a few steps back.

_It's your time to ride me, as all other riders have done before with their dragons. _

_Please, let's not talk about it. I thought you understood_, Kayla pleaded and Aiedail growled once, loudly, and took off.

Kayla swallowed and watched the dragons flying away as she stayed behind.

_By choice,_ she told herself and went back to the library annoyed, to do yet one more lesson with Mirin.

….

The next day she went to the Grand Hall for Magic Lessons with Idel. Preparations for the upcoming Games were evident as riders were rushing in and out of the Hall, decorating it and redecorating it, setting gigantic tables and water goblets to the sides. The elves and dwarves from the shore, who were not riders, had come to assist with that matter, alongside with some of the dragons.

Kayla saw an elf with a wolfish appearance running past her.

"Blogharm! These goblets will not be enough! We need scrying mirrors!" she heard Octavian say and his earrings rung. He was carrying some gigantic wooden tables and sweat was dripping from his forehead.

"Why doesn't he use magic? It would make his life so much easier" Adrian said next to her as he watched the exchange. Kayla jumped in surprise, as she hadn't heard the elven dorm leader approaching.

"Because…" Octavian started and set the tables aside, kneeling on the walls and smiling widely at them"… that would make me equally exhausted and would only exercise my mind muscles. My human body and muscles need just as much exercise as my mind. There is a reason why I am called Master of Sparring and Strength, after all" he finished and went to pick up the tables again.

"May, Maya not that side! Take the candles to the other side" Idel said and Kayla had to kneel on the ground, just as two light candles flew above her head, missing her by inches.

Idel sighed exasperated and raised her arms in the air, furiously shaking her head.

"Young riders, with me" she commanded and her voice was loud and clear despite the chaotic situation which was unravelling in the Grand Hall.

Kayla and some of the young students, Gwen, Adrian, May and Maya and an Urgal she hadn't seen before, followed the Master of Magic outside. When she had been told she would be placed in the experienced group she had been surprised. She knew she was good at magic, but she didn't know she was that good. What she lacked in experience she made up in skill and even though the other riders knew spells which were far more intricate than the ones she had attempted, she was still able to catch up to their level. Magic lessons were now her favourite part of the day.

"As you can see we can no longer train inside" Idel said and coughed.

Even though the weather had started getting better there were still clouds in the horizon and short snow storms still occurred. At the moment it was raining and wind blew from all directions.

Idel whispered some words under her breath and suddenly the rain that was around her, stopped falling on her. Her hair also remained in place and it appeared as if the wind was passing through her.

"How did I do that? Which spell did I use?" she asked the riders and most of them were eager to repeat her spell.

Indeed, soon most riders were protected from the weather elements just as the Master of Magic had done before, but Kayla struggled to remember the right spell. In the end she whispered the words wind and rain in the ancient language under her breath and caused the wind to bypass her. It was as if a giant wall had been placed around and above her, protecting her from the weather's elements. However, it was not like the spell Idel had cast.

The elven rider walked to her side and sighed, obviously disappointed.

"How many times will I tell you not to cast your own spells? Cast spells you already know, state your intentions in the Ancient Language! What you are doing might prove deadly one day. One of those spells of yours will drain you of all your vital magic and energy and _you_ will die" she warned, not for the first time.

Kayla sighed.

She could understand the reasoning behind Idel's words, but following certain rules and stating everything in the ancient language seemed like an impossible task to her. Words were often not enough to describe the feeling of energy which burned inside her, as it took the shape she wanted it to. Even if she did state her intentions the result would not be satisfying enough. It would be like reading Urgal poems in the Dwarvish tongue. Something always got lost in translation.

After the end of the lesson she walked back to the human dorms alongside Gwen. The human dorm leader was surprisingly quiet. Usually she made remarks on Kayla's behaviour, most often praising her for her change of stance towards Aiedail or advising her on certain fighting positions during sword fighting. Not that Kayla minded the silence. It gave her time to think, to mull things over.

And there were so many things to think about!

There was that creature which had so unexpectantly barged through the connection with her mother in the goblet of water and she had yet to share the story with anyone. That creature had been terrifying although she could not put her finger on which part of it had scared her the most. Was it the hiss of a voice? The lack of face and the mystery behind the hood? The fact that it seemed to control the shadow wyrms?

As she thought more about this she knew she should have told someone. Possibly Aiedail although the dragon would have strongly advised her to tell Eragon or one of the Masters of Training and she could not do this. Sharing a bond with a dragon surely meant having support and understanding between the two sides. In her case though it felt more as if Aiedail was her guardian rather than her companion. Yes, dragons were wise, yes they had experience in things humans could not begin to understand but she was not a child!

As they were approaching the human dorm she noticed that Gwen looked tense. Kayla was not one for small talk, had never been good at those things, but the constant twitching of the human dorm leader's eyebrows convinced her that something was wrong.

Did it involve her brother?

Although she knew very little about the relationship Gwen and Tristan shared it was obvious that Tristan cared about Gwen. And Kayla did respect the human dorm leader as well.

"Gwen, is everything all right?" Kayla asked in an uncertain tone and her voice sounded hoarse in the end, reminding her very much of her mother's voice.

_Definitely not good at small-talk_, she thought to herself.

Gwen unexpectantly kneeled on the ground and sat down cross-legged. The Rimgar had been cancelled for today due to some errands Maud had to complete and the young riders had been advised to practise by themselves, although Kayla doubted that this was what Gwen had in mind when sitting in that position.

She touched the soft grass and sat down next to Gwen.

"I worry about the people and the riders in Alagaesia. I don't like the fact that its been so long without any attacks from the shadow wyrms" Gwen whispered.

Kayla looked at the dorm leader, surprised.

"Surely no attacks are a good thing?" she asked in an uncertain tone but Gwen shook her head.

"They have every reason to attack us. The riders are weak, weaker than them. If they exert a similar amount of power force as in previous attacks the riders don't stand a chance. And yet they refrain from attacking. Why? Are they gathering more power? Is there something specific they are waiting for? The Games? Maybe they want to kill Alagaesia's Queen…" she said and paused.

The girls both heard voices from afar and they turned around to see the other group of young riders landing on the ground. Tristan, Laer and Rikon were among them.

As soon as the boys started approaching them Gwen got up on her feet and walked inside the dorm.

_Flight today was exceptional. A bit windy and rainy at first but then the weather improved. Clear skies, no birds, fluffy clouds and warm sun. Not too windy to cause disruptions either. You should have been there,_ Aiedail said as she landed next to Kayla, causing some dust and smoke to rise towards the girl's direction.

Kayla put her arm in front of her mouth and coughed, narrowing her eyes at the dragon.

_Hey! You did that on purpose didn't you?_

_Kayla, it's time to ride me. The longer you wait the harder it will be for you to get used to my size and learn to fly with me,_ the purple dragon advised and the girl sighed, exasperated.

_Why are we discussing the same thing again? _

_Because you know I am right. _

_Just let me be, all right?_ Kayla shouted inside her mind and started walking away from her dragon, fast. She heard the dragon growling and letting whiffs of smoke but she wasn't going to be intimated by that.

"Hey, Kayla, how were your lessons today?" a red faced Tristan asked her, a sign of exertion, as he walked back to the dorms with Laer.

"Just leave me alone, okay?" she asked and tried to calm down and not allow her anger to control her. Usually she was good at ignoring things, staying apathetic to events but lately she had developed a temper. That she knew and she had to master it in every means possible.

So lost in her thoughts was she that she didn't notice Laer walking alongside Onyx and she almost bumped on him. He looked surprised more than anything else and slightly scared. Kayla saw him tremble slightly and his irises turned golden…

"I saw it!" she shouted at him before he could move away.

"Kayla, calm down…" Laer started but she shook her head angrily.

"You are hiding something. Do the other riders know that you arrive late at night? What do you do in the woods?" she asked, the questions rushing out of her mouth before she could stop them.

The other rider looked lost of words and she considered entering his mind. Only for a little bit. Only so she could solve the mystery that troubled her, one of the many…

"Sweet little sister, leave these poor creatures alone and let's go for a walk" Tristan said gently, pointing at Laer and his dragon and grabbed her arm a bit more forcefully that he needed to.

"Why?" she asked and wriggled out of his reach.

She didn't say a word but the energy inside her mind instantly became alive and she saw Tristan's tunic catching fire. He took it off, threw it on the ground and started stepping on it, all the while looking at her with a concerned expression. Laer approached them, the question evident in his expression.

"Do not blame her, my sister is having some anger issues, amongst other things. You know, woman problems and the sort" Tristan said smiling to Laer and tried to take Kayla to the side.

"Anger issues? Woman problems? TRISTAN" Kayla said out loud and felt her anger increasing.

"Sorry, got to run" he said to a confused and flushed Laer and Vertigo pushed Kayla to the side, away from everyone else.

"Tristan what's going on? Let me be!" Kayla shouted angrily and watched the nearby rocks trembling. The energy inside her mind was very much alive and it was very hard to control at the moment. Her anger wasn't making things easier.

"Kayla, you need to calm down. What is going on?" Tristan asked her and she paced up and down, all the while trying to relax, breathe, calm down, do everything she had been taught to do in situations such as this.

Laer, Onyx, Aiedail and Gwen were further away from them and hopefully they wouldn't be able to hear what she was about to say to Tristan. She took in a deep breath, trying not to think of the hooded figure that had disturbed her spell but it was hard. She had tried to ignore it but the fear still clouded her thoughts and dreams every night.

_When I did a scrying spell a few weeks ago I think I did something wrong. I tried scrying our mother but a Shade or something entered the conversation instead. And it could see me Tristan. I don't know how, I don't know what it wanted from me. I_ …, she was saying quickly in his mind and Tristan raised his hands in the air.

_Kayla, speak more slowly and out loud,_ he advised her but she shook her head.

_No. I don't trust them_, she replied in her brother's mind and Tristan's eyebrows pulled together. He looked back at the human riders and their dragons and then at her.

_Who don't you trust?_

_Laer. He arrives late every night. I don't know what he does in the woods and there are many things we don't know about him. Then there is Eragon… Every time he looks at me I feel like he knows something he is not telling me. When he entered my mind I could tell that he did not trust me. I could tell that he wanted to dig further, find every memory of mine and_…., Kayla said and paused.

Tristan was holding her hand and looking at her with a serious expression.

_You haven't told him or any other riders about the Shade appearing in your goblet of water either. Why should they trust you when you don't trust them?_

_Do you trust them? Even Gwen, do you fully trust her? Do you trust Vertigo? Should I trust Aiedail?,_ Kayla asked again.

_If they wanted to harm us they would have already done so, don't you think?_

_But there are shadow wyrms and Shades on the loose. Everyone says there have been no attacks but Gwen is right. What if they are just gathering their power? And then they will attack our mother and everyone else?_

Kayla slumped on the ground, her knees giving way. She noticed that the rocks had stopped trembling. She looked up and saw Aiedail. The she-dragon stared at her with such a sympathetic expression that she almost cried. Kayla had tried to block her from the conversation with her brother but maybe she hadn't succeeded.

Tristan kneeled next to her.

_I cannot guarantee that all the riders here are trustworthy. I cannot guarantee that the shadow wyrms and shades will not attack Alagaesia and our mother. But what I do know is that I trust you. I also trust Vertigo and you should trust Aiedail as well. They are our dragons. To harm us would mean to harm themselves and they would never do such things. You also have to share some of this information with the leaders. They might be able to offer some help. And if you think that Laer is not trustworthy either then you should tell Eragon. I trust Laer but I might be wrong and you might be right. I have indeed seen him out in the woods more than once_, her brother said and she nodded.

As quickly as her sudden eruption had come, just as quickly it left. She felt calmer now, more at ease.

_I will go to Glieonard and speak to Eragon now. Thank you_, she whispered to her brother.

_I will come with you, _Tristan replied and Vertigo and Aiedail followed them close behind.

"Riders, where are you going at this hour?" Gwen asked them and Tristan quickly told her that they had to go to Glieonard. She insisted on following them there and it took them a bit longer than expected to reach the city.

As preparations for the Games were still taking place the city was alight with movement and energy. Eragon was in the Grand Hall advising the elves on the intensity of energy used during spells and that they should take turns when casting the spells.

Kayla did not particularly like the Dragon Rider Leader, but she needed to tell someone of her encounter with that weird creature. She didn't even bother with the usual greetings Mirin had taught them to use when addressing their Leaders or their Masters of Training. Without approaching them she spoke to Eragon's mind and explained to him everything that had happened.

The leader looked at her and his eyebrows pulled together.

_I have no reason to mistrust Laer. He has shared with me information about his past and heritage. But the fact that this creature or Shade managed to break our defences and interfere with your spell is quite worrying_, he said and indeed he looked worried.

He jumped from the top of the tables that had been set up and reached her side.

_Tuatha du orothrim. I take it you know what this means?_

_Tempering the fool's wisdom, _Kayla said and sighed exasperated.

_You are not doing a very good job at that though, are you? At the moment I am afraid you are the one who is quite dangerous here. So I do have every reason not to trust you considering your skill in magic. Learn to wield your magic, temper your anger, ride your dragon and prove me wrong_, Eragon said in her mind, not unkindly.

_Riders go back to your dorms. We have a few more days of intense preparation before the Games start and a few challenges planned that you might find intriguing. Rest well and empty your minds of all thoughts, worries and fears. Tomorrow is a new day_, Eragon continued talking to the all the young rider's minds instead of just hers.

On their way back to the human dorms Eragon's words stayed in Kayla's mind. She hated to admit it but the Dragon Rider Leader was right. At the moment she was the most dangerous person on the island and he and the others around her had no reason to trust her.

She had left Tristan and Gwen lead the way back and they were talking amongst themselves although their conversation was not audible enough for her human ears. Also she wanted to give them some privacy.

When Laer appeared from amongst the woods she was not surprised to see him.

"The elusive forth rider" he said to her and smiled in a gentle manner.

He was wearing his usual training gear, dark leather pants and a dark linen shirt which matched his hair – now falling loose on his shoulders - but contrasted his skin tone. She was certain she could see his usual dark eyes glowing golden.

"Oh? This description seems to be more fitting for you" she said and allowed him to walk next to her side. Onyx and the rest of the dragons were flying somewhere above them in the dark sky.

"You do not trust me" he stated and she hmphed.

"Eragon, obviously does, however" she replied annoyed.

"Why don't you trust me?" he asked and seemed genuinely curious.

"I do not know who you are, where you come from, you walk often outside in the darkness and most importantly you entered my mind at will when no one else has managed to do so" she said.

He laughed once, humourlessly.

"What causes most fear is the different, the unknown. Whatever people don't understand they want to destroy. How… Surprising" he said again, humourlessly.

"Or fitting. We don't know much more about the enemy either. That's why everyone is so afraid of it, them whatever it is" she replied.

Laer paused then and looked at her with an expression which was half surprise half respect.

"You understand then" he replied.

"No, I don't understand. That's why I am afraid. I don't understand you, your motives, your abilities. I don't understand myself, my abilities and how to control them. I don't understand our Leader's motives and thoughts and most importantly I don't understand the enemy" she said and sighed.

He held her arm and looked into her eyes in a very intense manner, half smiling.

"Kayla that's the reasoning behind your actions. Every single action is powered by this thought. And… "

"And…?" Kayla asked, suddenly interested in what he had to say.

Laer looked at her once again, his eyes glowing golden.

"And something you have not shared with anyone else. Something that scarred you in the worst way imaginable"

Kayla looked at him, suddenly afraid.

"Did you enter my thoughts?" she quickly asked and he smiled politely, shaking his head.

"How little you know of magic. There are so many other ways to guess one's intentions or thoughts. Magic is only one of them" he replied and after this they walked back to the human dorms in silence, each in their own thoughts.

**A/N:******N**ext Chapter will be called "The Games" and will be posted within the next two weeks, again on Sunday/Monday. Don't forget to leave reviews, follow/fav!**


	36. The Games - Part 1

**The Games – Part 1**

Roran walked to the Queen's headquarters in a quick pace, trying to open a gap between the river of people storming through. Tents had been set all around the town of Bull Ridge and the city was alight with movement even though it was the middle of the night. Bull Ridge was located on the west of the Ramr River and offered an ideal location for the Games as it was close to flat land, water and mountains for the different challenges that were to take place. At the moment the inns in the city were well crowded and tents had been set around it for both athletes and spectators. The higher one's station and wealth was, the more luxurious the tent was. Each race of athletes as well as the Queens and Kings also had their own headquarters.

Not to his surprise, he realised that getting to Nasuada's quarters was no easy task. Even though, he himself was the Earl of Palancar Valley, his tents were situated further away from hers, and nowhere near as luxurious as the Queen's. Roran was at least 100 meters away from her tent but he could easily see the array of guards and magicians guarding her.

"Name and intention" the Head Guard asked him as soon as he arrived and Roran had to raise his eyebrows.

Surely it hadn't been that long since he had last seen her that the Guards wouldn't remember him! He must had fought together with at least half of them during the Uprising against Galbatorix and then the later battles that followed against some of his Generals.

"Let him pass, this is Roran, Earl of Palancar Valley" a man said and Roran turned around to see Martland Redbeard.

The Earl of Thun was wearing hunting gear but he looked in no shape to be wearing such attire. He had put on some weight since the last time Roran had seen him but his long hair and beard half concealed this fact. He had wrinkles on his face and many grey hairs on his bead. If Roran hadn't known that his second name was Redbeard he would have never guessed he used to have a beard of this colour.

The Guards made way but a company of magicians stepped forward.

"We need to examine your mind" they said in unison. There were three of them, all wearing dark robes and looking deadly serious.

"For Gokurara's shake I have fought beside this man!" Martland objected but the head magician raised his hand in the air.

"You know the orders, we need to examine everyone's minds" he said and Roran unwillingly nodded, motioning to his friend to calm down.

He didn't expect this to be the case but actually the magicians were quick with their examination and very professional, living most of his private memories at ease and only looking at potential threatening ones. When they finished with their examination they motioned for him to go in.

Martland grabbed Roran's shoulder and started pushing his way through to get to Nasuada's tent.

"Apologies for the examination. Extra measures have been put up for the Queen's protection" he explained and Roran hmphed.

"You would have thought the soldiers and Guards would remember me but yours is the first familiar face I see" he said.

"Aye, many new ones have been hired since the last Games, ten years ago. Even more, quite recently. If you ask me I don't agree with all these younglings prancing about. They have little to none experience and yet they are asked to protect the Queen. Ha!" he said and sounded annoyed.

"They are no older than what we were twenty years ago my friend" Roran explained in an amused manner but his friend still shook his head.

They reached the entrance to Nasuada's tents and again they were examined by magicians and had their weapons taken.

"Is this really necessary?" Roran asked as he pulled open the rugs to the tent.

He didn't get a reply to his question, however, because he heard an Urgal's annoyed growl and saw Nasuada shaking her head.

"We have talked about this before, Theon. During combat, humans need to have some weapons. It is not fair for them to stand against the Kull with their bare arms" Nasuada explained.

Theon, head of the Kull Tribes of the East Dessert, shot her a perplexed look.

Roran was usually not afraid around Urgals and had grown accustomed to their appearance and size but the Kull Leader in front of him was the biggest Kull he had seen in his entire life. Even though the tent was tall enough Theon was struggling to sit upright and had to kneel. Kneeling only intensified the line of muscles across his body and the slightly heated argument had given the Kull a dangerous expression.

Roran had fought against an Urgal bare armed during the Uprising against Galbatorix and he had won, but he could very much understand why human athletes were allowed to carry some weapons when standing against the Kull.

"Unless you doubt your Tribe's capabilities?" Nasuada gently asked and Theon growled, making the grounds of the tent shake.

"So it shall be then, Nightshade Queen" Theon said, flashing his canine teeth before he exited the grand tent.

Roran heard Martland next to him letting out a long sigh.

"Don't get me wrong I now enjoy the company of Urgals and think of Nar Garzhvog as a great Tribe leader but Nar Theon? He looks dangerous" he commented and Nasuada let out a long sigh.

"Aren't we all? Roran I apologise for not welcoming you to the campsite earlier but I have had many matters to attend to. I take it you have settled in well?" Nasuada gently asked and Roran nodded.

"My wife and daughter are enjoying the luxuries of our accommodation very much. Of course it does not compare to yours" he said and smiled.

Nasuada raised an eyebrow and then laughed.

"If I didn't know you better I would have thought you were asking for an exchange? My friend, trust me when I say that you do not want to be anywhere near these grounds. All this luxury?" she asked pointing around… "All but a show. If an attack happens this will be the first place to be attacked" she continued and sighed. "If It wasn't the Urgal Mating Season soon, the Games would have taken place next year but unfortunately we had not much choice in the matter. Things are already … strained between us and some Urgal Tribes. Better if we keep them on check"

Roran watched Nasuada's expression, strained and tired but still retaining an air of authority and power.

"This is what I have come to talk to you about, My Queen. We have known each other long, longer than most. We have fought side by side and you know my skills and weaknesses as well as I know yours. Please allow me to assist you with these Games. I might not be as strong and as fierce as I was twenty years ago but I am experienced enough and my loyalty belongs to you" Roran ended.

The Queen regarded him with a thoughtful expression.

"The Games start in less than a week. Preparations are hectic. It won't be easy" she advised.

Roran snorted and smiled.

"When has it ever been?"

….

The very next morning Kayla was surprised to hear a weird screeching noise on her window. She went to see what was happening and saw a white-grey fury cat sliding her nails against her window. She felt the hairs on her arms rising and she covered her ears.

_Stop that!,_ she shouted annoyed at the cat and Maud looked at her with an almost superior expression.

_I am here to train you. Eragon's orders_. _Follow me,_ the white-fury cat said in her mind and tentatively licked one paw.

Kayla stared at the cat and felt Aiedail's presence at the back of her mind.

_Where will we go?,_ Kayla asked voicing the dragon's thoughts.

Maud paused, stretched and then fixed her gaze on the girl.

_Not too far. All the riders are busy at the moment in Preparation for the Games. We will be back just before they start. We won't be missed. _

_Can I come?,_ Aiedail asked and gazed at the cat with an expression Kayla could not decipher.

_If you must. _

…..

They left as soon as Kayla was dressed in full gear. They met Tristan and Laer on their way out who asked about their whereabouts. Kayla explained she was going to train with Maud but return before the Games. She tried not to snap at them, keep her magic on check and be as gentle as possible, but just before she left the human dorms, she accidentally caused one of the pipes, which brought hot water from the volcanos, to burst.

Kayla saw Gwen trying to sort it out just as she walked away from Glieongard and the human dorms in a quick pace.

_You, stop torturing these poor human beings_, Maud commanded her.

_Poor?_

_Yes, every time you are angry you take it out on someone, whether that is your dragon or the riders who want to help you. _

Kayla bit her lip.

_It's all this magic. I can't control it. I was perfectly fine before that. _

_You weren't and you can._

_How?_

Maud stayed silent and then suddenly stopped walking. She was in her human form and holding a stick. Aiedail who was flying above them, did a circle in order not to lose them.

_Carry me,_ was the woman's response and Kayla raised her eyebrows and hmphed.

_How exactly will that help?_

_Well… Its been a long trip and I am tired. And you need to exercise_, the woman's response was and she gave Kayla one of her sweetest smiles.

Kayla sighed, pressed her lips together and gently placed the older woman on her shoulders. Even though Maud looked light, she was surprisingly heavy and the girl had a rough time taking the first few steps.

_Did Eragon explain why I needed to be trained by you?,_ Kayla wondered.

_No. _

They stayed silent after that. Kayla was not usually one to break the silence but she had quite a few questions.

_Is it common for riders to be trained separately? _

_Oh, yes. It was very common in the old days. Once each of you has completed the first few stages of training you will be assigned to one of the Masters, depending on your abilities. _

_So… What are my abilities?,_ Kayla asked and Maud let out a small laugh but didn't reply.

They had started walking early in the morning and now it was late afternoon but Kayla had no idea where she was as she was mostly following Maud's directions. She knew Dis Atilan was big but she never thought it would be possible to get lost in it.

_Why has Eragon decided to train me separately_?, Kayla asked Maud who was now in her feline form and curled up next to the fire which Aiedail had lit up for them in the middle of the woods. It was still winter and very cold and Kayla hated to be outside but still she endured with the hope that Maud would teach her how to control the magic inside her and avoid any other… incidents.

_You are like a volcano. Something is boiling inside you and you need to control it before it destroys you and the people around you, _Maud explained, an explanation which was satisfactory, although not particularly cheerful.

Kayla laid her head against Aiedail's warm scales to warm up and closed her eyes.

…

The next morning Maud had her run for five hours, something that reminded her of Stoic's training and she didn't particularly like it although she could handle it with ease now.

When she finished Kayla realised that it was a beautiful sunny say and slightly warm as she was sweating from all the exertion. She kneeled and stared at the ground, her palms on her knees, breathing loudly.

_Not bad_, Aiedail observed. She was sitting close to the girl and she was doing a set of what Kayla could guess were stretching exercises.

"So… What's next?" Kayla asked Maud out loud and the old woman looked at her but didn't reply.

She was sitting in a lotus position and seemed to be in concentration.

_Maud?,_ Kayla asked, gaining access to the woman's mind.

She heard a hiss and saw Maud returning into her feline form and jumping on her. Kayla fell back and hit the ground hard while Maud pressed her paws on her chest. Two grey-blue, silted eyes gazed back at her.

_It is rude to interrupt someone. It is also rude to enter someone's thoughts uninvited_, she said and hissed again.

She walked back to the grass on a slow pace and sat down, her tail swinging from side to side while she watched Kayla's every movement.

_It will not happen as easily as you might imagine. _

_But how? How will it happen?,_ Kayla asked.

_Two ways. First you need to release the negative energy. Then you need to gather positive energy from your surroundings and you will see a difference. Appreciate the difference between the hierarchy of small plants and big animals. Usually this is taught to higher level students but you need to learn it soon if you are to understand nature. Understanding nature will make you become one with nature. More at peace. And get over your problems. _

_You make it sound simple_, Kayla said sighing and sitting in the lotus position ready to do the Rimgar.

The cat blinked.

_We both know it is not._

….

Tristan skidded backward several inches, his face nearly nose to nose with Laer's as their blades momentarily locked together. Then he pushed him back and Laer twirled away. Laer attacked again, this time with what seemed to be more intensity and Tristan had to feint to the right hand side to avoid his blade. He had to change his style, bouncing back and forth between several of the fighting techniques Octavian had taught him but Laer's style appeared to be as fluid as an elfs' and as brutal as an Urgal's which made things complicated.

Tristan soon realised that he could not beat the other man, because he was neither as fast and fluid as Laer nor was he as strong. He fell back and run with all his force, grabbing his bow and arrow from his back, pausing only when he felt confident enough he had put some distance between himself and Laer. Then and only then did he let the arrow fly loose. The arrow hovered in a straight line and paused just inches above the other man's heart before it dropped to the ground, disarmed by one of Laer's protective spells.

Grohn clapped and Rikon whistled.

"Impressive" Octavian told them and pressed his hands on his chest. "Can you tell me what fighting style Laer used to counteract Tristan's second blow?"

"Elvish. He was swift and fluid about it" Adrian said.

"But then he changed to an Urgal fighting style" Grohn intervened and Octavian raised two fingers up.

"Ah, yeah! And that confused his opponent. He was not sure how to go around that problem and instead he decided to bail out of the swordfight and rely on his bow. Which, on a different scenario, might not have been possible!" Octavian said and raised his eyebrows at Tristan who in turn put his arms in the air.

"I knew I could not win any other way" he explained and Octavian nodded.

"Correct. The Games start tonight students and each and every one of the athletes is going to have a unique fighting style. Some of the athletes might change styles in order to confuse their opponents. We will analyse each and every movement of theirs. Find that moment when they make the mistake and remember that moment. Because it is a moment we do not want to repeat as riders" Octavian said and clapped the two boys on the shoulders. "Good match, riders"

Tristan smiled and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Games start tonight. I bet you Atlas, the Kull of the East Tribe will win the wrestling" Grohn said.

"Have you seen Giglandin? He is the dwarven champion of Farthen Dur. I bet you all the golds in my pockets that he is winning it" Rikon insisted and Gwen hmphed.

"Don't forget Elena, the elven athlete" she said.

"But for wrestling? Maybe for running and swordfights but wrestling seems a bit out of her range" Tristan said raising an eyebrow.

"How little you know, human. I have seen her fight from up close. Trust me the Kull does not stand a chance" Adrian said in his usual arrogant manner and Tristan had to curl his fist to stop himself from punching the elf.

"Students, tonight you all need to be in the Grand Hall" Mirin said as he walked past them in a quick pace with scrolls and books flying above his head and mattering under his breath.

_One last flight?,_ Vertigo asked as he flew low to the ground and Tristan jumped on his back before saying any other words to the students.

_I thought you would never ask!,_ he exclaimed.

It was still relatively early in the morning, the sun was shining and the riders were not given many tasks, mostly help around with the preparations, but as these were coming to an end, less things needed to be done and by more experienced riders.

Which left Tristan with plenty of free time.

Today he and Vertigo decided to venture to Ramirblaka. Not close enough to disturb the wild dragons but close enough to see the island and do all the intricate moves between the clouds that would be impossible to do in Dis Atilan. The terrain was simply not suitable enough.

_Ramirblaka. The flying peaks_, Tristan thought. That was the exact translation of the island name's and rightly so as there were more peaks on Ramirblaka than the Spine. Ramirblaka was not just one island but many islands, smaller and bigger ones, and the clouds were hiding the base of the mountains making it appear as if the peaks of them were flying.

Somewhere in the distance, they saw a shadow looming and Vertigo changed course fast and headed back to Dis Atilan. They hadn't been away long enough to cause any worry, nor had they gone close enough to disrupt the other dragons but from their more recent encounter it was better to be safe than sorry.

_Do you think we will be able to visit Ramirblaka again without any other issues? I know Eragon spoke to them and they resolved the problem but we haven't visited the island all together since the attack_, Vertigo asked.

_It's dangerous enough visiting it now as it is. Eragon said to be very careful and not fly too far away from Dis Atilan and too close to Ramirblaka. It would have also been sensible if we had taken someone with us,_ Tristan exclaimed and Vertigo snorted.

_Nonsense! They would have slowed us down and also there isn't a dragon yet that can fly faster than I,_ Vertigo said, obviously very pleased with himself.

Tristan hmped, smiled widely and stood upright on the saddle with his hands free.

_Catch me if you can_, he said and dived to the side.

He could feel the adrenaline running fast through his veins. A few months ago he would have laughed at the prospect of him doing intricate manoeuvres in the air. Now, it was second nature to him. He watched Vertigo's form rushing to meet him.

Instead of simply placing himself under Tristan, Vertigo quickly turned around so that his belly was facing Tristan instead. The boy landed softly on the soft skin and then Vertigo feinted to the side, corrected his course and continued flying with a steady rhythm until Tristan had righted himself on the saddle.

The first time they had tried this move Tristan had found out the hard way that landing on the dragon's back with his crotch was not the best plan of action. By landing with his arms outstretched in Vertigo's belly, he avoided a considerable amount of pain.

Feeling the wind on his face and smelling the salty smell of the sea was one of the highlights of his day. As he watched the sun sinking into the horizon he allowed himself a moment of peace.

_This…_ Vertigo started.

_This is all I ever wanted,_ Tristan continued.

….

It was the third time this week that Kayla had practised the relaxing exercises the werecat had taught her alongside the watching of the creatures around her and she was beginning to see some of its effects.

In the beginning she had found it hard concentrating on a single thing but when she had opened herself to the world around her – and what a world there was! – she had been pleasantly surprised to find herself occupied with emotions and feelings that belonged to entities who were no larger than her smallest nail.

Kayla had always enjoyed losing herself inside books. Losing herself inside the world of the bees or in the organisation and hierarchy of the tree's roots was much more enthralling than Princess Alison's adventures. What was more, she had uncovered ways to glance into the tree's memories. Not memories exactly – they were more like fleeting images – but more like senses. Plants had a way of viewing the world which was unlike that of animals. Animals were always moving, considering their next move, never pausing… Plants on the other hand moved but moved slowly and gently as if nothing else mattered in the world apart from the now, the moment, the fleeting image.

When she had told Maud about what she had witnessed the werecat had given her an all-knowing smile.

"Only elves and a handful of riders have the ability to gaze into the plants' inner thoughts and not get lost"

"Have you tried?" Kayla had wondered.

The werecat had hmphed.

"I am afraid I am so different to this creature that its consciousness would override my own. And that is something I do not wish for"

Now that Kayla had completed the first stage of the Rimgar she had started taking baby steps into the second stage.

"You are too tense. You must loosen up more to do this" Maud advised and Kayla nodded.

"I have made much progress with you as a Master. Why do we not get assigned to Masters in the beginning?" Kayla asked and Maud laughed.

"You all need the same base. You are but younglings when you arrive on the island. How can you build a house if you don't have the bricks? And bricks are all the same. It's just that your bricks seem to have been organised in the most accurate of ways" Maud said and then looked above her at the darkening sky. "Now pack your things. We are going back to Glieonard. The Games are to start soon and I am sure you wouldn't want to miss them, would you?"

Kayla smiled and nodded.

_To be honest I am not too bothered about watching the Games. Training here is much more interesting,_ she said to Aiedail's mind.

_You will most possibly find them helpful. Games and races teach much to the young generation, _the dragon said.

_Indeed they do_, Maud added.

When they reached Glieonard, the city was alight with torches and flying lanterns. Kayla had to push her way through to get to the Grand Hall which was currently quite full, fuller than it had ever been. All races were present, whether riders or not and big scrying mirrors and water goblets had been set all around them. Long oak tables were in the middle of the Grand Hall and they were covered with platters of food and drink. The smell of roast, spiced, honeyed vegetables caught Kayla's nose and her mouth watered.

"Kayla, where were you? The Games are just about to start!" Tristan whispered to her and pushed her near the rest of the young riders.

She bumped against Laer and the rider smiled at her in a perplexed manner. Kayla swallowed and looked to the big scrying mirror opposite her, trying not to think of the way she had treated the other rider quite recently. All these calming exercises with Maud had definitely helped in putting certain things into perspective.

"Riders, elves, dwarves and werecats, welcome, once again! As I am sure you all know we are here to witness the Games. We might not have been able to visit Alagaesia this year but trust me when I say that the view from here will be much more… Complete" Eragon said and smiled.

Then, all the fires that were alight around them were extinguished with a single of Eragon's spells and Saphira roared and let out the biggest jet of flames Kayla had even seen, which encircled the riders, taking various forms and shapes. More dragons let out smaller streams of flames which connected in the middle of the Grand Hall and suddenly drums started playing in the background and in the scrying mirror opposite Kayla, the image of Alagaesia's Queen appeared surrounded by her guards. On the rest of the scryings mirrors around them, the images of the other leaders, athletes and images of the arena were shown.

"Wow" Rikon whistled under his breath.

Nasuada cleared her throat and the noise echoed in the Grand Hall. Her expression was serious.

"Creatures of Alagaesia. We have all gathered here today for the start of the second Games. The Games are part of the treaty that all races signed to participate in - after the fall of the tyrant Galbatorix - in order to maintain the peace and prosperity of this land. Riches, lands and fame await the winners. Each race as well as each province has their champions. All will compete in a set of different Races and Games. All must abide to the rules. Let us start with the match you have all been waiting for. Wrestling" Nasuada ended and drums sounded again at the background while flames were illuminated.

The Champions sprung from the dungeons of the castle into the arena, all dressed differently. Some carried weapons, others did not. Kayla spotted a gigantic Kull in the middle with a mane of blonde-ash hair.

"Atlas. He is the favourite at the moment" Laer whispered in her ear and she nodded.

Each Champion was announced. Then the drums paused and a goat horn whistle was blown in the background. The sky was once again alight with fire - made by magic - dragons and arrows, and the arena very quickly turned into a scene of war.

**A/N: And here we go! At the moment I have a lot of ideas about where the story might go so I need your opinion on a few matters. Just write a number depending on what you want. **

**1\. Enough with the romance and training I want to see some action**

**2\. I like the training but I find the romance bits annoying**

**3\. Romance bits are okay but how much training does one need?**

**4\. Both Romance and Training bits are okay but I want a quicker pace **

**5\. All is good and just continue in the same/similar manner**

**6\. Everything is good but where are the Shadow wyrms? Whats happening in Alagaesia?**

**7\. Pace is good, training is interesting but I want more romance/fluff! (specify certain pair(s))**


	37. The Games - Part 2

**The Games – Part 2**

**A/N: Wow! Thanks for all the reviews people, keep them coming! Although now it's even harder to decide where exactly the story might go. I will try to increase the pace and include more training, action and romance. **

**To answer your questions: Yes! Glieonard is a mixture of Gil'ead, Leona and Narda. When trying to name the capital of the island I was playing around with various name combinations. **

**Also for the last part of this chapter I was listening to the: The Do- Dust it Of. Does anyone have any good suggestions for soundtracks etc. to listen to? Pm if you want!**

The fifth day of the Games had already arrived but Kayla did not feel the need to watch them. Instead she followed the path which led to Maud's hut and knocked on her door loudly.

The werecat opened the door and squinted her eyes.

"You are early" she commented and had her do the second set of the Rimgar.

By midday her muscles felt tired but her mind was more alert than ever. As she had done in the previous sessions with Maud, she extended her consciousness to the beings around her. She tried to do as the werecat had instructed and not concentrate on just one being but on all of them together. Her surroundings felt like a big market in the middle of a city, storming with activity and movement. Nothing was silent, everything was moving, fast, slow. Beings appeared in and out of her mental periphery. Some were bright spots in her mind and others were dimming lights. Once, she concentrated on the consciousness of a small bird. It was against what she was trying to achieve in her training, but she was so transfixed with its ability to fly that she couldn't help herself.

She entered its mind as gently as she could, but the creature sensed her almost immediately and froze into place for a few seconds. She allowed herself to get lost in its mechanical movements and simple thoughts. Kayla watched as the bird extended its wings and jumped from the tree. For a moment she was very concerned about the bird's well being and safety. So concerned that she feared it might die when it jumped from the tree. Instead, it flapped its wings quickly and rose into the air, the wind blowing gently against its feathers.

Kayla was surprised by her sudden attachment to the bird. She hadn't known it for more than a few minutes and yet if it died it would pain her greatly because she had shared a lot of its troubles.

She had almost finished her training when Aiedail gently probed the edges of her consciousness.

_Flying is great, you know. There is no word in the world that could best describe it,_ she said.

Kayla opened her eyes slowly and bit her lower lip. It would be hard not to miss the irony of course. She had known a bird - with a simple mind - no more than it took her to finish a meal, and she would be sadder if it died than if Aiedail had injured herself. Despite the fact that Aiedail was a magnificent creature with a mind much more intricate than the bird's, able to experience emotions the bird could not even fathom.

"So?" Maud asked her, bringing her back from her trail of thoughts.

"I managed to approach the consciousness of more than one being" Kayla whispered and the werecat smiled.

"Splendid. Now fight me" Maud said and smiled widely, showing her canines.

Kayla's eyebrows pulled together.

"What do you mean?"

_Do I need to switch to the Ancient Language to be better understood_?, the werecat said, speaking to the girl's mind. _You may use both magic and a knife_, she added and threw a small dagger at Kayla's direction.

"I am not very good at swordfights" Kayla admitted and Maud started laughing and played with another dagger she had in her hands.

_Who said anything about swordfights?,_ she asked and attacked the girl.

Maud was quick and swift, there was no denying that. Kayla only had a few seconds to move away from her reach, uttering a quick spell.

"Sidja Maud. Stay Maud" she shouted and the werecat paused for a few seconds just before she was able to move again. Kayla immediately felt the loss of energy and her knees trembled.

_How were you able to move?,_ she wondered and the werecat laughed.

_Maud is not my true name and your spell worked only temporarily. Also who do you think you are to command me to stay? I am not a scolded puppy. _

"Letta. Stop!" Kayla shouted again and Maud stopped but then quickly turned into her feline form and attacked her from behind.

_But I stopped you! _

_No. In your mind you stopped me from running or walking. In my human form that is. Your thoughts did not include my feline form. That's why you should put more thought when casting spells and state your intentions,_ Maud said and as soon as she did Kayla felt the drain of energy.

Her knees crumbled to the ground.

The cat purred.

_And we haven't even started sword-fighting!_

Maud returned into her human form and thrust the dagger into Kayla's side. She had seconds before the weapon connected with her skin and she feigned to the side but still it caused a cut to appear on both her shirt and skin.

"Outs!" Kayla said and took her dagger out of its sheath even though she knew it would be pointless.

Indeed very soon, Maud had disarmed her and was holding the dagger against her throat. If Kayla wanted to win the fight her last resort would be to enter the older woman's thoughts.

_I know what you are thinking. The question is though… Will you be fast enough to stop my hand from moving and slicing your throat?_

_You would not harm a student. _

_Disappointing. You should be thinking of me as the enemy. _

Kayla swallowed and attacked the older woman's mind. It was a matter of speed and soon it was evident that she had lost. Blood gushed from her throat and she crumbled to the ground, her limbs shaking. She heard Aiedail approaching and growling loudly, her thoughts full of murderous intent and a protective instinct.

Before she fainted Kayla felt something pressing against the cut of her throat and she felt her senses returning. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"Dilia Velosa" Maud whispered, pointing at a plant she was holding. Kayla flattered her eyelids and tried to inspect it more closely.

"If you swallow it, it is poisonous as it clots the blood more quickly than a clotting spell. It stops the bleeding however" she added and looked around her smiling. "Its amazing how many new plants and trees we have found on this island! And we haven't even had the chance to properly explore it yet!"

"Why did you attack me?" Kayla whispered and her throat croaked.

She noticed Aiedail at her side, swinging her tail quickly and gazing at the old woman with a predator's glance. Maud closed her eyes and curled into a ball.

_I had to teach you that you are not invincible. Even when using magic or mind duels. Sometimes mind duels and magic are not enough to win a fight. You also failed to use the skills I taught you only a few hours ago. Very disappointing indeed. You would have won if you had. _

_How would entering the consciousness of beings around me aid me in this situation?,_ Kayla asked angrily and then paused when she looked at the smile on the old woman's face and realised her mistake.

_Oh_, she thought and annoyed she had not thought of this earlier, she tried to get up. Her legs wobbled but she grabbed tightly on one of Aiedail's thorns to stay upright. She touched her throat and felt the rough edges of the sliced skin. It hurt a lot.

"Weise he-" she started but Maud covered her mouth before she uttered the spell.

Angrily she looked at the older woman.

"What?"

"You have lost a considerable amount of energy during our fight, energy you could have very easily spared. You do not know how much more energy this healing spell requires. Deal with the pain. It will teach you much"

Kayla sighed and nodded. As their lesson was done for the day they walked back to Glieonard with Maud in her feline form and Aiedail stealing murderous glances at her.

_Do you have any other students?,_ Kayla asked out of curiosity and to break the monotonous pace of walking.

_Just one more. _

_Adrian? _

_Correct. _

_How did you choose him? _

_In the same way I chose you. _

_Meaning? _

_I like a challenge. Much more interesting. _

_Do you intend on picking more students? _

_I have my eye on one more. _

_Who? _

_That I cannot share with you,_ Maud said and rubbed her body against Kayla's legs, something the girl found infuriating.

From afar Kayla could hear the voices and shouts from the spectators watching the Games in Glieonard.

"And so the Games continue" she said as she entered the Grand Hall.

…..

Tristan felt his heart beating inside his chest loudly and he tightened his grip on the wooden bow he had strapped across his back, his father's bow. It was a recent habit of his to carry it around and practise with it as often as he could.

Now, he could not help but compare it to the rest of the weapons the athletes carried in the Games. It was the fifth day of the Games and at the moment the Archery Matches were taking place. Each athlete had a unique way of holding the bow, a unique way of placing the arrow between the fingers, a unique way of either gently or roughly letting it fly loose…

Crunch.

The arrow the dwarven athlete fired did not meet its target and fell on the ground. A trainer on the side raised his hand in the air and the dwarven athlete nodded and walked off the stage.

"What did he do wrong?" Octavian asked and Tristan jumped as his full attention had been on the mirrors and not on his surroundings.

The Master of Strength had managed to silently approach him and the two riders next to him. Laer and Adrian. Tristan crossed his hands over his chest.

"He didn't do anything wrong. All the moves he made were the basic moves that are taught to all archers" Tristan said and his eyebrows pulled together.

"It wasn't what he did, it was what he didn't do. His concentration was not on the target but on his surroundings, the crowd cheering" Laer commented as they looked at other archers firing their arrows.

"Ayeh. There has to be a balance always. In battle that's the gravest mistake one can make. Most of your attention should be on the target but not just on the target. If you miss what's around you, you will die in a heart-beat but if you don't pay the right amount of attention on your target then you will miss and the amount of effort you will have put in that moment will be for naught" Octavian instructed and rubbed his chin.

"Like the start of the Games. Atlas had been winning but not because of his skill in battle or his immense amount of strength. Yes, he was strong and big but some of the human athletes were just as strong and skilled. The reason he was winning was because he made his opponents fear him to the point where they were looking at their target than their surroundings" Grohn said approaching them.

Tristan smirked.

"Come on, he was an Urgal, you must have definitely been satisfied with that outcome" Adrian asked.

Grohn pressed his lips together.

"I don't think anyone was satisfied with that outcome. That's why the Wrestling Games the other night had to be postponed"

"Yes… The Games were a bit more violent than expected…" Laer agreed and Tristan remembered how Atlas had almost snapped the elven athlete's body in half. Elena had been swift, quick, fluid and much more skilled in battle than Atlas. The Kull had an advantage in size but the elf was small and she had been winning the battle. At some point though she had missed a step, looked at one of the other athletes and the Kull had seized the advantage and attacked her, grabbing her head and…

Tristan shook his head quickly trying to clear it. The memory was too violent. It was a miracle the elf had managed to survive although she currently rested in the infirmary. Atlas had been almost removed from the Games but Theon, his tribe leader, had intervened and the Judges had decided to keep him only if he changed his behaviour. Elena had been given the choice of walking away from the revised matches but she had decided to stay.

The Wrestling Games would take place again on the last day of the Games so every person in Alagaesia was waiting in anticipation for the outcome.

Today, the Archery matches ended relatively early in the day, so the riders were sent off for a short training session. Inspired by the Games most likely, Tristan could see an evident change in the way the riders fought. They seemed to be more aggressive but more wary as well. When placed against Grohn, Tristan was surprised to find himself winning. Despite the fact that the other rider was an Urgal, Tristan felt stronger and faster than him, copying some of the moves and strategies he had seen the athletes take.

As soon as the sun had set, the riders gathered in the Grand Hall where food and wine aplenty was presented on the tables, like on the previous day. Everyone seemed to be in a cheery mood and by the end of the night the dwarves who usually resided in the shores of Dis Atilan, had clasped each other together, singing a cheery tune. Their cheery mood was most probably attributed to the fact that the dwarven athletes were winning in a range of different matches.

Some of the wine seemed to have affected Tristan as well because he felt more relaxed than usual and less in control. Without thinking about what he was doing he joined in the singing and dancing and soon realised that most riders had done the same. He found himself squeezed between Rikon and Gwen as they danced to the beat of the music. At some point he turned his head towards the human dorm leader and noticed her smiling widely.

"Enjoying the Games?" he asked but his voice felt slurred.

Gwen nodded and grabbed his shoulder tightly with both her arms.

"Very" she whispered into his ear and then let him lead her to a dance. Her curls bounced as she did a circle and then Tristan caught her in his arms again. She giggled and then joined the group with the rest of the riders. Their arms were still connected and her fingers slid from his as she stumbled and almost fell to the ground. She laughed.

"Gwen, you seem quite drunk" Tristan said, while laughing as well.

"Nonsense. I am just tipsy" she replied and twirled once more, unsteadily.

Tristan was not in the best state of mind either but he could see that the human rider was in a worse situation than him.

"Maybe we should go back to the dorms and have an early night. Apart from the Games, training will also commence as usual tomorrow according to Eragon, and we need to be in the proper state of mind for that" he said to her gently.

"But look at the scrying mirrors! You can see everyone! Even the riders in Alagaesia have joined everyone in Bull Ridge! I want to be there as well…" she whispered. "Murtagh… He is such a great rider! So great and so busy that he has little time for anything else. Bleh!" Gwen added and stumbled.

Tristan paused.

"Do you know him well then? Has he visited Dis Atilan?"

"Everybody _knows_ Murtagh. The black sheep, the traitor, the one everybody hates. But they don't know him, not really. But how can they? When he rarely visits and has never come to Dis Atilan!" she shouted but her words made little sense to Tristan.

Then he remembered the red dragon he had seen in Gwen's memories and he paused.

"Have you spoken to him in person?" he asked her again and she made a dismissive move.

"He visited me sometimes and escorted me to Dis Atilan. But no… He could not stay. Far too busy for that!" Gwen said angrily and tapped her foot on the ground.

Tristan felt his heart clutching as a thought seized his mind.

"Were you… Were you lovers?" he asked, chocking on the last word.

He waited a few moments but he got no reply and then realised that Gwen had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He exited the building and rode on Vertigo's back as he flew back to the human dorm while carrying Gwen.

_You don't know for sure that that's the case_, Vertigo said in his mind. _It could be something else entirely._

Tristan hmphed and mulled over his thoughts, recognising the feeling in his heart. He had felt it before. Jealously.

Gently, he placed Gwen in her bed. Her head lolled to the pillow, she extended her arms and sighed in her sleep. Tristan swallowed and ever so lightly traced his fingers over her brow. Upon hearing Saturn return to the human dorm, he exited her room and entered his.

He unstrapped the bow from his shoulder and caressed the smooth wood, trying to think about something else other than Gwen. Vertigo let out a whiff of smoke.

_Beautiful work. Your father made it, no?,_ the dragon asked, in an attempt to changed his rider's course of thoughts.

It worked and Tristan nodded.

_Yes, when I was young. I have been hunting with it ever since I was old enough to wield it_, he replied and then closed his eyelids feeling the effects of the wine growing stronger.

…

Almost everyone was dancing, apart from Kayla who was making her way through the crowd. She had seen enough of the Games and the matches for today and the dancing that was taking place was not to her taste. Plus, every single one of the riders seemed to be drunk.

The music was loud against her ears and it was beginning to give her a headache. Kayla opened the two main doors of the building. Cold, fresh air came to greet her alongside her dragon.

_Are you not enjoying the celebrations?,_ Aiedail wondered and Kayla shook her head.

_It is a bit intense for me and I am quite tired. Besides there are many more matches to watch._

Kayla touched the purple-grey scales of the dragon and Aiedail made a noise that sounded like a cat purring. She smiled.

They didn't say anything else to each other, feeling content with simply exchanging some of their emotions. On a spur of the moment decision, Kayla decided to walk to the small lake she had seen the other day when walking with Maud to the other side of the island. It wasn't a long way away so she soon reached her destination, although she did on occasion sprint, feeling the cold air slap her face. Aiedail followed her, flying above.

The lake was situated near the elven dorm territory, behind the volcano and surrounded by tall oak and eucalypt trees. An abnormally large weeping willow was growing on one side of the river, which run from the mountains to the lake. Its branches were long and tall enough to rise above the water and create an arch. Rocks were splattered all around her and most of them were covered in thick, green moss. It would have been impossible to notice all these things in the dark of the night, but the light from the moon and the stars was strong enough to make the details visible and give the waters of the river and lake a purple-ish colour.

The beauty of the place took her breath away but she didn't seem to be the only one who was dumbstruck, as Aiedail landed softly on a clear patch of earth near her, with her jaws slightly open. Kayla could smell the sweet aromas of flowers as she walked towards the iridescent lake. On a tree next to the water, a jasmine plant had grown and its flowers had fallen on the forest bed.

Maybe it was her mind playing tricks but she could feel the earth pulsing with her movements as if every part of it was alive. She saw small lights floating all around her and she was momentarily stunned and scared. Aiedail next to her, bared her teeth, but Kayla stayed still, unsure of what was happening until one of the spirits nudged her waist and she turned around. The emotions that emitted from it were ones of happiness and calmness though so she was not afraid.

_Spirits_, her mind told her and she ran her finger through the jasmine plant, her hair flying all around her as she danced in circles. She did not know if she was using magic then, her lips were moving but she could not hear the exact words and she saw a small spiral of water rising from the lake and dancing all around her. .

Without a second thought she stripped her boots and heavy cloak and wedged them between a tree's branches. She let her toes sink into the thick, emerald grass which continued all the way down the bank to the water's edge and Kayla tentatively took a few steps towards it. The water brushed against her ankles. It was cool, cooler than she would have liked but she allowed herself to gradually sink into it and accumulate to the temperature.

The lake wasn't too deep and she could stand upright with her head outside of the water. With a few quick strokes she was able to swim along the edges of the lake. She lay on the water's surface, feeling the brush of water against the skin of her back and watched the small bulbs of light dancing around her.

At some point she felt something nudging her and she turned around to see Aiedail swimming at the water's edges. The dragon's upper body was visible above the lake and Kayla noticed that Aiedail had been careful not to disturb any of their surroundings when entering.

Her fingers traced the dragon's muzzle and Aiedail's violet eyes blinked at her. Lightly she held on one of the dragon's thorns and let the creature guide her outside of the water. When she looked around her for the spirits, she realised they had disappeared, leaving behind only a deeming glow.

Her wet underclothes clung onto her skin and she suddenly shivered and looked around her, feeling somebody else's presence. A branch snapped nearby and she turned her head quickly. Her eyes met the colour of liquid gold and she froze in place. The other rider pressed his finger against his lips in a silencing motion and she nodded.

Then all too quickly he was gone and she pressed her arms around her shoulders trying to warm her skin while Aiedail walked close to her, shielding her from the cold with her warm breath.

_You were right. Will you tell anyone?,_ the dragon asked.

_No. I promised. _


	38. The Games - Part 3

**The Games – Part 3**

The weeks had flown by faster than Tristan could have imagined and the final day of the Games had arrived. A big celebration and feast were to take place at night after the end of the Wrestling Matches and everyone was beyond excited. His thoughts had been preoccupied with training and the Games and there had been little space left for Gwen or anyone else. Whatever Gwen's relationship with Murtagh was, he had no right to feel angry about it so he tried to behave as normal as he could around her.

At midday he sparred with Grohn, Gas and Rikon and he beat all three of them. Finishing early with his training he went to practise archery by himself. He took his bow out and started firing arrows on the target on the tree, one after the other. There wasn't a single one he missed.

"You might need to challenge yourself more" a voice came from behind him and startled, he turned around to see the Dragon Rider Leader. Eragon was watching him with his arms crossed over his chest, while Saphira and Vertigo were flying above them.

_Did you finish flying lesson early?,_ Tristan asked his dragon.

_Something like that_, Vertigo replied.

His dragon was being vague, more than what was usual.

"Ebrithil… I did not hear you approaching" Tristan admitted and put his bow down.

"Not were you meant to" Eragon said and in three big strides he had reached his side. "How well can you hit moving targets?"

Tristan's brows pulled together. "I used to hunt deer near the Spine. Usually I was able to hit them. Not always though"

Eragon smiled. "Some time ago I used to do the same. They are good practise if nothing else. Better than a tree's branch. When will the rest of the riders arrive?"

"Soon, I believe. Octavian wanted to show Grohn, Rikon, Maurine and Laer how to make arrows. Since I already know how to do this though, he told me to come here and practise. The rest of the older riders have Magic Lessons if I am not mistaken" he replied.

Eragon rubbed his chin in concentration. "Good. Follow me"

Tristan raised his eyebrows but did as he was told. Eragon led him down a path which reached a flat valley. There, their two dragons landed, causing dust and debris to fly all around them.

Tristan coughed and squinted his eyes to protect them from the dust. When he fully opened them again he saw Eragon standing really close to him and examining his arrows. He hadn't seen the Dragon Rider Leader approaching him or for that matter removing the arrows from the sheath Tristan had strapped across his back.

"Impressive work for someone who has never been taught the proper way to make arrows. Octavian was right to dismiss you from today's class although there are a few things you can improve on" Eragon said and pointed at the arrow's head and back. "There. See? Most find connecting the blade to the wood to be the toughest part. You have done a very good job at that. But to make them even better you have to make sure the arrow is straight and smooth. Its back is slightly wobbly. This might cause it to miss its intended target"

"I see" Tristan replied and looked at the arrows carefully.

"Gëuloth du orya" Eragon whispered and his right palm momentarily glowed and then looked at the boy, touching his chin. "Do you know what I said?"

Tristan struggled to remember what the words meant in the Ancient Language. "Dull the arrows?" he asked unsure.

Eragon nodded. "Correct" he said and then added "Kodthr" throwing him the arrows.

Tristan wasn't sure what Eragon had said but instinctively he stepped around and tried to catch the arrows as they flew around him. He managed to catch two and then a third, somehow balancing it at the creek of his back. The forth one fell on the ground with a loud noise and split in the middle while Tristan almost lost his balance.

"You used pine wood for their making, no?" Eragon asked and Tristan nodded. "Next time use ebony wood. It's tougher than pine wood. Ebony trees grow at the back of the island in the dry region near the volcano"

Again Tristan nodded and held in his hands the three arrows he had caught. Vertigo watched him with unblinking attention. The boy swallowed.

_Is there something I should know_?, he cautiously asked his dragon, bewildered as to why Eragon was coaching only him.

Vertigo puffed smoke but gave no reply and Tristan switched his attention back to the Dragon Rider Leader.

Eragon studied him carefully. "Shall we test how well you can hit moving targets?"

Tristan swallowed. "How?"

The other man smiled. "Try aiming for me. The arrows are dulled so don't be afraid to shoot"

Tristan gulped. He looked at Eragon who gazed at him with a mischievous smile. Unsure, Tristan tightened his grip on his bow and arrows and then nodded to the other rider.

He should not have expected anything different but still he was surprised at Eragon's speed and agility. The rider was a blur and Tristan's eyes moved too slow to see where Eragon was. He extended his arm, almost letting the arrow loose and then pausing realising that the other rider had left his previous position. Annoyed he tried again but with no success.

_You are a rider, meaning you share some of the dragon's magic and abilities_, the Dragon Rider Leader whispered in his mind and Tristan tightened his grip on the bow again. He concentrated, trying to do what the other man had advised him to do.

Even though Tristan was a rider he had not felt any significant change take place within him. At least not as much as any of the other young riders had. Kayla was using magic to the extreme and Laer and Rikon had gradually started appearing slightly different externally and more elvish in terms of speed and agility. Apart from maybe his ears which appeared more pointy, Tristan had not felt anything else alter. Yes, he was bound to a dragon, sharing his thoughts with him but in terms of strength, stamina and agility? He felt the same as before when he had been a simple human.

Again he concentrated trying to catch the rider's motion but it was tough. He let an arrow fly loose simply for the shake of it. Of course the arrow didn't reach its target and fell on the ground.

Eragon paused and extended his arm. "Gath sem oro un lam iet. Unite that arrow with my hand"

He then threw it at Tristan's direction and the boy had milliseconds to dodge. He fell to the earth and grabbed the fallen arrow.

_Use your senses. You might not realise it but you have some magic within you_, Eragon advised and Tristan sighed angrily.

_I have very little magic. The only reason we are speaking through mind connection is due to you. Its very hard for me to initiate something like this_, Tristan replied.

_Again_, the other rider advised and again Eragon started moving in an alarmingly fast pace. Tristan turned around, trying to catch him, then dived to his right, crouched, but nothing. He momentarily stopped but didn't give up. He simply closed his eyes and then when he opened them again he saw Eragon in a blur. He smiled. Yes, Eragon was a blur but at least he could see the blur.

He went into position and felt the arrow slide through his fingers like rain droplets sliding from his face. Fast, quick and fluid. Eragon moved before the arrow reached him but Tristan let another two arrows fly almost simultaneously.

"Letta orya thorna!" Eragon commanded and the arrows stopped just before they reached him. The rider smiled. "Good. Now ride Vertigo"

_What?,_ Tristan wondered.

_Finally!,_ Vertigo bellowed in his mind and Tristan watched his dragon literally jumping into the air and then landing with a loud noise on the ground. Tristan covered his mouth with his palm to avoid chocking on dust.

_You have to stop doing this. Was that the plan all along?,_ he asked and Vertigo smirked.

_Maybe. Eragon was waiting to see how well you completed certain tasks. _

_But my arrows didn't hit him. _

_That wasn't the point. _

Tristan hmphed, half-smiling and rode Vertigo. His dragon rose into the skies in seconds, followed by Saphira and Eragon. The other dragon was a lot larger than his own and it took her longer to reach a certain altitude than it took Vertigo.

_How many arrows do you have left?,_ Eragon asked Tristan.

_Two?,_ he said unsure and checked his sheath.

The other rider whispered some words and the arrows that were on the ground reached his hands and then flew straight into Tristan's sheath.

"Impressive!" Tristan shouted, smiling.

Eragon rubbed his palm over his chin. _Try to do what we did before. Only this time you can hit either me or Saphira. It shouldn't be too hard considering she is the biggest dragon on this island._

_Curvy_, Saphira intersected and let a small jet of flame, looking at her partner seriously. The riders laughed.

_This should be interesting, _Vertigo commented and Tristan could feel his dragon's excitement and anticipation.

_We can start,_ Eragon said and Saphira rose her sapphire wings high and then let them down with an impressive amount of strength. Since VertIgo and Tristan were directly below her they were thrown off balance while the she-dragon gained speed and height.

_Oh, no she didn't!,_ Vertigo thought and followed the other dragon while Tristan held his bow tightly against the force of the wind.

Saphira dived to the left hand side and Vertigo changed course to catch up with her. Cold wind quickly slapped his face and he realised it would be impossible to fire an arrow strong enough to reach the target with all the air resistance.

_Aggh, I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. _

_Can you not use a spell or something?,_ Vertigo asked.

Tristan rose his eyebrows. _I don't have the skill or the power required. We need to go above them so I can at least use gravity to my advantage. Otherwise the air resistance will never allow me to hit him._

_Done,_ Vertigo said and flapped his wings quickly, the air slapping Tristan's cheeks. Such was the wind's force that he was afraid he would drop his bow. Saphira was still flying above them and Vertigo found it hard to catch up to her. Saphira was bigger so her every wing flap propelled her at a greater distance than twenty of Vertigo's.

_I was informed you visited Ramirblaka. I thought I had made it clear that the wild dragon island was out of reach for you, young riders,_ Eragon commented at some point.

_We didn't reach the island only some of the smaller islands and rock formations before that. They were ideal to practise some flying manoeuvres_, Tristan replied, suddenly realising he could be punished for such a decision.

_Show me,_ Eragon said.

Tristan nodded and Vertigo growled, annoyed.

_Which one of the two does he wants us to do? Catch up to Saphira or do intricate moves in the air?_

_Maybe both_, Tristan said thoughtful.

_If that's what he wants, let us show him_!, Vertigo said and Tristan could feel new energy pumping throughout the dragon's body and his own.

The dragon took in a deep breath and flew to the direction of Saphira. He flapped his wings fast and his lean body sliced the clouds in a straight line like a knife slicing through butter. Tristan had one hand on the dragon's thorns and the other on his bow.

_Now,_ Tristan said and Vertigo started flying higher and higher, stopping just before the air became too light for flight. Saphira was still moving fast but despite the fact that she possessed more skill and power, she was no match to Vertigo's speed. The dragon dropped towards her direction.

Saphira moved away and Vertigo changed his course all the while chasing her, going around her in fluid motions while the larger dragon growled irritated not able to turn around fast enough.

_You need to slow down if I am to fire,_ Tristan advised and Vertigo agreed.

_Shall we do what we did in Ramirblaka?_

_Of course. _

Tristan let go of Vertigo's thorns and unstrapped his legs from the saddle. He had his bow ready, his legs tightly curved around the dragon's waist and he waited…

Saphira dived to one side and Tristan sprung into the air to meet her while Vertigo flew below. He shot an arrow to her direction but the she-dragon dodged. Annoyed Tristan let out a breath of air and soon felt razor-sharp talons slice his back. He winced in pain.

_Sorry_, Vertigo said as he grabbed the rider's back and then propelled him to Saphira's direction once more. This time he was ready though and he fired one arrow after the other. He wasn't aiming for Saphira. If he was in a real battle there would be no way the arrows would cause her any considerable pain or damage. He was aiming for Eragon instead but purposefully missing and firing either on the right or left hand side of the rider. He felt Vertigo's talons on his back again and once more the dragon flew fast and dropped him.

And in that moment it felt as if time had slowed. Tristan silted his blue eyes, so similar in colour to Vertigo's scales, and met Eragon's brown ones. In that moment both Tristan and Eragon knew he was going to fire and that he could do nothing to stop him. And in that moment Tristan knew his shot would meet its target.

The arrow hovered in a straight line, gravity aiding it in moving faster and it almost connected to Eragon's skin, but the rider caught the weapon before it did so in between his fingers.

Tristan's breath caught between his lungs as he followed Eragon and Saphira to the ground. Vertigo let his rider jump to the ground and then gratefully landed beside him. Eragon slipped from his dragon's back and walked close to him. His breath was coming out loud.

"I believe this belongs to you. Aí oro ramr" he said and gave Tristan his arrow. The boy nodded and accepted the object but he did not fail to notice that Eragon's fingers were covered in a thin layer of blood.

"Did I injure you? I did not mean to…" he started, concerned, feeling his heart beat quicken, but the other rider shook his head and smiled.

"Do not apologise for providing me with a challenge. Its not an injury I cannot heal. It wasn't the blade of the arrow but its speed that caused this. The wild dragons were right"

"What did they say?" Tristan asked, curiosity thick in his voice while Vertigo's tail twitched.

The grand sapphire dragon approached both him and Vertigo. His dragon was usually always moving, being in a hyperactive mood but in that moment he stayed completely still.

_They said they had yet to meet another dragon or rider with a skill in flying able to match mine and Eragon's,_ the sweet voice with a rough edge said.

Tristan stared at her and Eragon dumbstruck.

Vertigo bowed to the other dragon, obviously pleased with himself. _Maybe you should close your mouth. It is not the most appealing of sights_, he said and Tristan did as he was told and looked to the ground, slightly embarrassed.

Eragon smiled to them. "Shall we head to Glieonard for the Games then? It's almost sunset and I would hate to miss the celebrations"

…..

The drums were playing in the background, an erratic beat. The dwarves' fingers were moving fast, faster than it would be humanly possible. A gentle, elven voice was audible in the background.

Tristan's eyes, as well as everybody else's in the room, were glued on the scrying mirrors across them.

This time it was Orik who spoke.

"It has been a long four weeks. Longer than one would think possible but the Games are coming to an end. Many winners have risen amongst you and all have been rewarded accordingly. But gold is not the only thing that matters. Fame and high stature follows the winners. They will return to their homeland bringing back glory and happiness" he said and went on to present the winners of the various races.

"Ha, elves won the Running Games. No surprise there" Rikon said in a low tone next to Tristan and Grohn smiled.

"Hey, the dwarves won most of the carving Games, don't complain! At least we won the Heavy Lifting Games" Grohn said proudly and bumped his fist on his chest.

Tristan smiled and sighed, turning his attention on the big scrying mirror again. The athletes he had seen on the first day of the Games were all there, in the arena, waiting for the horn to be blown.

His friends next to him seemed to be anticipating the event as much as he.

And then it happened.

The noise rung and he could feel the vibration through the scrying mirrors. The Kull fighter, Atlas, came into his view, looking strong, tall and dangerous. Atlas's chest heaved with every breath the athlete took as he attacked two dwarven warriors who fell to their knees almost instantly and then went for Elena, the elven champion.

But the elf was quick to dodge his attack, running to the other side of the arena, fast, her feet almost flying from the ground. The Kull looked irritated more than anything else and he tried to go after her but a big rock that fell next to him caused him to pause. Angrily he turned around to see a human attacking him.

Tristan squinted his eyes as he recognised the face.

"Look at that human go! I must admit he has guts to go against the Kull so openly!" Grohn said next to him smiling widely.

"No, it can't be" Tristan whispered under his breath as he blinked hoping that the image would disappear from the scrying mirrors.

But it didn't.

The crowd was ecstatic as Elena attacked the Kull again and Atlas switched his attention from the human to her. Then the human threw another two big rocks at his direction quickly.

"Tristan is that…?" Kayla asked next to him and Tristan nodded.

"That's Grion"

…

Grion wasn't the only human in the arena, as humans from various provinces were allowed to join this specific set of Wrestling Game. Other elves, Kull and dwarves were there as well and all competing against each other. Or this had been the case in previous Games. It now seemed as most of them had formed teams.

Tristan heard his friend let out a loud cry of war as he jumped on the Kull with what appeared to be all his force. Atlas growled and shook Grion off as if the other human was a mere fly. Before he could do anything else Elena kicked at the Kull's feet and Atlas lost his balance.

Somewhere in the other mirrors other fights were taking place between dwarves and Urgals as well, as the humans had decided to side with the elves as it appeared.

"This is unfair! He is but one Urgal against two athletes!" an Urgal female rider shouted from a table across Tristan.

"She has a point" Grohn whispered as more humans and elves circled Atlas. The Kull was surrounded and he bared his teeth.

"Surely strategic plans are allowed in the Games? And last I checked there were no rules about not cooperating with one another" Adrian said smiling widely.

It was obvious who was on the losing side of the Games but still Atlas persisted and continued attacking, landing blow after blow on the rest of the athletes. Tristan pressed his lips together as he saw a human being tossed in the air and landing with a crunching noise on the ground. He saw elven healers running to the arena but the Games didn't stop as the previous time.

"They have to stop! This is brutal!" Gwen shouted angrily and Eragon and the rest of the riders nodded as they all seemed concerned.

Tristan watched Eragon casting a spell on a nearby small mirror but just then Grion landed a blow on Atlas and the Kull fell on the ground. Laer, next to him, counted the seconds.

"One… Two… Three…" he whispered.

If an athlete didn't rise from the ground in less than five seconds then the athlete would be dismissed. And indeed the judges came to collect a screaming, bleeding Kull from the arena. As soon as the teams had formed between the athletes just as soon they fell apart when Atlas left the scene and now everyone was fighting for themselves. Tristan watched Grion landing heavily on the arena floor and he was also dismissed.

The Wrestling Games must have lasted for at least three hours before the winner was announced who was, against all odds, a dwarf named Kilin.

Drums started playing in the background again, mixed with elven flutes which turned into a cheery tune. The wine flowed aplenty and even though Tristan had told himself he wouldn't drink again tonight, as soon as he tasted Maya's and May's homebrewed spiced cider, he ended gulping down at least two cups. Dancing had already started in the Grand Hall of Glieonard and Octavian was happily leading the dance, his dark skin glowing more than usual.

Even the dragons were ecstatic blowing fires on a whiff and flying a few inches above ground only to land on a table or a mirror. At some point Fiord accidentally crushed onto one of the scrying mirrors and it caused an eruption of laughter amongst the riders. By then, most of the celebrations in Alagaesia had finished, so no one was too bothered about keeping the scrying spells up.

"We should play a game!" the twin elven girls announced, giggling to each other happily.

"I don't like elvish games" Rikon said sheepishly.

"No… It's a human and dwarven game so everyone can participate!' Maya said beyond ecstatic and clapped her delicate pale hands together.

"And what is that game you speak of"?' Grohn asked.

The twin girls giggled again as if what the Urgal was asking was the funniest thing they had heard in centuries.

"Its called truth or dare… Humans love it!" they replied in unison and May extended her arm to stroke their dragon, Cyclops.

"Oh, I know this game! But it's boring… When I played it with my friends in Arhan we played dare or dare. Now that was more exciting!' Tristan replied smiling and saw his sister raising her eyebrows.

"Oh? Don't you think truth is as exciting as dare then? Truth can be the most interesting thing in this game actually…"Maya added and stroked her straight dark hair.

"Yes but everyone can lie. Whereas with dare you can't really bypass that now, can you?" Tristan insisted.

The twins giggled again hysterically. For a moment the riders watched, uncertain how to proceed, until the twins unexpectantly paused. Even Adrian appeared to be weary of their behaviour.

"Who said we will be able to lie? We shall play this game using the Ancient Language only… You cannot lie in the Ancient language" they said and stared at all the young riders with mischievous looks.

Tristan saw Gwen shaking her head.

"I am in" Rikon announced and slammed down a big jar of dark beer.

"I will play too. This game sounds interesting. The dares at least!" Grohn said and chuckled.

Tristan looked at them and then at Gwen and Adrian with a slightly perplexed expression.

"Are you too scared to join us?" the twin girls asked him.

He quickly shook his head.

"Of course I shall join you! As long as the rest of the riders join in as well, though!" he replied and looked at Laer, Kayla, Gwen, Maurine and Adrian who had not given any replies.

"I will do it" Maurine said followed by Adrian who said something along the lines of why not. Soon everyone joined, even his sister who originally had been apprehensive.

"Shall we start then?" Rikon asked happily but May and Maya shook their head quickly.

"Not here silly! Let's go into the woods… Make it a bit more exciting!"

Before long the riders were between the elven and dwarven dorms in the centre of a clearing in the woods. Adrian had lit a small fire and was sitting down cross-legged. Rikon had brought one of the alcoholic beverages with him and he was sharing it with the rest of the riders.

For a moment everyone was silent until May and Maya leaned forward, their dark eyes glowing against the fire's light and whispered. "Truth or dare?"

….

Murtagh was watching Nasuada from afar as she awarded each athlete with a prize. Even though he and the rest of the riders had arrived in Bull Ridge only a few weeks ago he had yet to speak to the Queen in person. He and Ingrid cleared a path through the crowd of spectators who were cheering, dancing and drinking. When they arrived, he noticed that most of the athletes were fidgeting, obviously eager to join the celebrations.

"In honour of the Riders I give my congratulations to all of you athletes, who competed and won the Games" Ingrid next to him said, in a loud clear voice.

This caught Nasuada's attention who turned and looked at the human rider. Her eyes blinked in surprise.

"Ingrid, your left leg?"

The human took in a deep breath.

"I had to cut part of it out in order for the wound to heal without the dark magic spreading further" she admitted.

"You cut your own leg?" the Queen asked and blinked again.

"You would have done the same if infernal fire was consuming you. At least now I am healed and I can continue assisting my fellow riders. I was useless before, lying on a bed doing nothing" Ingrid said, pressing her lips together.

If nothing else Murtagh had to admire the human rider's courage. Half of her leg was missing and she was limping, walking with a stick most of the time and the rest, when she needed to fight, used magic to stay upright.

"Our feats cannot compare to your courage!" Kilin, the dwarven champion said but just then all the elves paused what they were doing and looked at the skies.

"Is that your dragons, riders?" Elena, the elven athlete asked and Murtagh opened his mouth to reply but soon felt the now familiar feeling of time pausing and dread consuming him.

Thorn was by his side in an instant but it was too late.

Black, thick, deadly liquid fell from the skies and the screams of the crowd rung in his ears. Before he knew it, he was on Thorn's back fighting against shadow wyrms and dragons, Zarroc covered in blood. Chaos persisted around him and at times it was hard to keep track of the riders around him. He saw the elven rider, Findet attacking a shadow wyrm but before Murtagh could do anything to help, the other rider was covered in blood and his dragon was rapidly falling from the skies. He saw the Kull rider, Stoic, stopping Findet's fall with magic but then the rider paused and his expression paled.

Murtagh had not seen the rider wear that expression before and he turned around him to see another dragon of the darkest green colour and an Urgal female riding it. Fire flashed on his right hand side and he realised that the female was sadistically smiling, her expression eerie and dangerous.

_Jijah_, Stoic whispered in everyone's minds in desperation and Murtagh flew fast to their direction, but he was not fast enough to stop what was coming.

The dark black-red dragon bit on Stoic's dragon with such force that the other creature let out a pained growl that made Thorn shake. Then, the other rider, Jijah, drew out her sword and slashed at Stoic. He heard Stoic's pain in his mind before he heard it out loud and watched both rider and dragon crushing to the ground loudly.

Murtagh's heart beat erratically inside his chest and he tried summoning the power of the Eldunari, concentrating on attacking the foreign rider. Before he could release the energy though, he felt one of the protective wards he had placed around Nasuada's crumbling.

_Go_, Ingrid whispered in his mind as she went to attack Jijah and he rushed to defend Alagaesia's Queen. Thorn attacked the shadow wyrm and Murtagh jumped from his saddle rushing to Nasuada's side and his breath caught between his lungs.

Cold blood run through his veins as he saw a Shade holding a knife against Nasuada's throat and smiling sadistically at him.

"Release the Eldunari and put down your sword" the Shade hissed at him.

Murtagh immediately did as he was told and then the Shade laughed. "The foolish things people do for love"

He stabbed Nasuada, once, and Murtagh run to catch the Queen before she fell to the ground, Thorn's scream echoing in the background. His fingers traced her brow as she tried to breathe.

"Murtagh" she whispered and he swallowed hard. "Behind you"

But he was too late and the shadow wyrm already had his teeth sunk deep inside his leg, the black liquid burning his insides. The last thing he heard before he fell into unconsciousness was Thorn's desperate cry.

…

**A/N: Sorry for taking this long to update! In return I have written a longer chapter this time, which hopefully you will enjoy! Don't forget to tell me what you thought of it! The next chapter will be called: Truth or Dare**

**Translations: **

Letta orya thorna= stop those arrows.

Aí oro ramr= A strong arrow

kodtrh= catch


	39. Amidst Smoke and Fire

**Amidst fire and smoke**

Arya slid from Firnen's back, landing on rough terrain and gazed around her in horror. Everything around her was on fire, people were screaming, children were clinging to their mother's busts, men were covered in blood and dark liquid smoke was rising from their wounds. Above what used to be the city of BullRidge, dragons and shadow wyrms were flying and growling, clawing at each other, trying to gain advantage and then retreating only to attack again seconds later.

A dark, hooded figure stood in the distance although she could not discern the race in which it belonged.

"Drottingu" it whispered and Arya could tell that it was looking at her, even though it had its back at her and its head was covered by a dark hood.

The very first thought springing into her mind was that the creature opposite her was a Ra'zac, but she quickly dismissed this as she looked more closely at it, noticing details that she had missed only seconds ago. Ra'zacs had a slithery ring to their tone of voice, preferring to hiss most of the words when speaking, whereas the creature opposite her had an almost noble ring to it. Ra'zacs were also known for their slightly crooked backs whereas the creature across her was humanoid and stood tall and proud as it took its first few steps towards her.

Firnen walked closer to her and growled at the stranger.

_Be careful, Arya. I do not trust this creature of the dark,_ her dragon whispered and showed the stranger the wide array of sharp canines he bore.

The creature opposite her, crossed its arms together, its fingers sliding against each other in fluid motions and then it laughed, once.

Arya felt the hairs on her arms rising and her heart beat increased. She was not afraid, she would not be afraid, but she needed to be prepared. She had not forgotten the sickening sound of Stoic's and Findet's bones breaking or the pained growl that had escaped their dragons as both fell to their deaths. Nor had she forgotten the sound of Murtagh's flesh ripping in half.

"I am impressed. In previous attacks none had been able to locate me" the creature said, speaking in the Ancient Language and cocked its head on the side. Then in a dismissive tone he added: "Tell your dragon to step back. I mean him no harm. Yet"

Arya swallowed and Firnen growled again, louder this time.

"Iknol ono eru? Who are you?" she asked, speaking in the Ancient Language. Her words sounded proud and strong, betraying none of her emotions.

The creature cocked its head on the side again and laughed, only this time the laughter persisted for longer than a minute. Then all too abruptly it stopped and the creature took a few more steps forward. Arya's hand automatically reached for her blade and then it froze.

The creature's index finger moved from side to side and it made a tsk sound. "I wouldn't do that if I were in your position"

Again the creature moved forward, magic present in the atmosphere and Arya whispered the forbidden words that Eragon had once whispered in her ear. Only they did nothing to unfreeze her from her position and she glared at the creature, not comprehending what was at play.

_Why isn't it working? In previous times all magical activity could be stopped with the True Name_!, she exclaimed in Firnen's mind, losing her composure for only a few seconds. Her dragon growled loudly and went to move but was also frozen into place.

The creature sighed and this time in two long steps it reached her side. Its fingers gently touched her chin and it shook its head, as if it was disappointed with her. "Oh, my dear Arya. The True Name trick does not work with me, I am afraid. If you are to defeat me you will have to do far better than this. Which, of course, is impossible, considering your status"

Arya's chest heaved under her and she silted her eyelids. "What do you want?"

The creature clapped its hands together once. "Ah! That is the true question. Finally it seems like we are along the same trail of thought!"

Then the movement of its fingers changed from gentle to rough and it closed its palm around her slender throat. Arya coughed and struggled for breath, as she heard Firnen's growl and struggle.

"Where is she?" the creature asked, this time its tone dangerous, calculating. It tightened its grip for a few seconds, before releasing her and she coughed.

"I don't know what you are talking about but even if I did I would never tell you!" she spit at him. "I have endured torture before, you cannot hurt me!"

Again, the creature cocked its head on the side. It seemed to be a favourite move of his. "Who said anything about you?"

The creature's two middle fingers snapped together and Firnen crumbled to the ground, his tail twitching and his lips curled up. She felt his pain for only a second before he tried to withdraw from her consciousness. But as much as he tried, his pain was as intense as if it was hers, a suffocating and burning feeling. The pain changed and this time it felt as if her flesh was skinned from her, bit by bit.

_Arya do not tell him! Whatever he wishes to know, don't!_ Firnen growled in her mind as she watched him writhe onto the earth's surface.

Tears slid from her eyes as she bit her lips together hard.

"How incredible the mind is! You don't even need to touch one's skin in order to inflict great pain, don't you think?" the creature asked and at her blank stare it continued. "Now that I have your attention I wish to know where she is. The herbalist in case you don't know who I am referring to"

The question took Arya completely off guard. Out of all the people the creature could have been looking for, Angela had been at the bottom of her list. It was no secret, of course, that Angela had some enemies and was not liked in certain parts of Alagaesia, but most respected her and tended to either seek her help or avoid her all together.

"Eka ach néiat thornessa hugin. I do not have this knowledge!" she replied quickly because honestly, she did not.

The creature slammed its hill on the ground, appearing irritated. "When was the last time you saw her?"

Arya swallowed, trying to remember. Again, she decided to go for the truth, not because she couldn't hide it or endure Firnen's and her own suffering but simply because she found it so insignificant. "It must have been a decade and more. She visited Ellesmira to see the elven infants"

Surprised at her ease of releasing this information, she covered her mouth quickly and the creature shrieked once - a shriek full of malice and hate. It walked away in quick steps, while releasing Arya and Firnen from their bonds. Arya immediately whispered some spells to protect her mind's boundaries and held her sword high. She tried to cast magic and injure the creature but nothing seemed to have an effect on it.

"If you see her, do tell her that I am looking for her. Also don't forget to report back to the Dragon Rider Leader…" the creature said, the last phrase thick with irony "that is if you can"

In a swift movement it rode atop a shadow wyrm that seemed to have appeared out of thin air and rose quickly into the skies.

"Barzul!" Arya swore and rode upon her own dragon trying to catch up to them but they were too fast. Shadow wyrms and enemy dragons retreated, following their leader no doubt, while Arya tried to catch up to them.

Suddenly, Firnen paused and he growled irritated. He tried to fly fast but it felt as if an invisible barrier had been placed between him and the enemy. He tried to fly up and around it but nothing. Arya's fists tightened.

_It feels similar to the spells placed around the forest of Du Weldenvarden_, she said in his mind and the dragon nodded, returning back to land. No sooner had she landed before she heard Trianna's mental cries.

_We need your help!_

Arya rushed to meet the magicians, reaching the Queen's headquarters, Firnen at her side. She saw a figure running towards her and she paused ready for attack, but it was only Nasuada who clung onto her skin as soon as she saw her. Tears were running down the Queen's face and her usual neatly placed hair strands now stood in disarray.

"Murtagh. He is injured. You must help him!" she whispered as another male magician run to her side.

"My Queen, your injuries are not fully healed yet. You should not be running, you need time to recover and…" the magician said but one stark look from Nasuada silenced him.

"I will do what I can to help Murtagh but I cannot promise anything as of this moment. What of the rest of the riders?" Arya asked as she walked into the tent which housed many injured inhabitants.

"Dead" Trianna replied in a low tone. The magician looked old, older than when Arya had last seen her, which had been only a few days ago. The woman looked weak, her energy reserves obviously exhausted to the extreme and she was sitting on the ground, her arms around her knees, moving back and forth.

Arya heard a scream and she turned around to see Murtagh lying onto a makeshift bed, his chest and legs covered in bandages which however did little to stop the bleeding. Thorn's pained growl echoed in the night in return to his rider's one, reflecting Arya and Firnen's own pain in response to the death of the remaining riders in Alagaesia.

_Firnen you need to control Thorn. I worry for the injuries he might accidentally cause, to himself, his carers or surroundings,_ Arya said in her dragon's mind and a rustle of wings told her that her dragon had understood.

She kneeled next to Murtagh's makeshift bed and slowly moved the bandages away from his wounds, which however intensified his screaming. His eyes shot open for just a second and he looked straight at Nasuada and then her.

Arya whispered a quick spell under her breath which caused Murtagh to lose consciousness in an instant. If she was to heal him, he had to stay still and the only way for this to happen would be if he wasn't awake for the next part. She gazed at his injuries and at the failed attempts of the magicians around her at healing him and she sighed.

She had little to no magic left in the stone of her sword and smoke was rising from Murtagh's wounds. His injuries were also far greater than Melor's had been. Melor had died within three months due to his injuries. Murtagh would last no longer than one.

Arya rose from the ground and stared at Nasuada. "Murtagh will die within the fortnight. There is nothing I can do for him and if I do try, it will simply be a waste of much needed energy and magic"

"No. Please, there must be something" Nasuada whispered, her lower lip trembling.

Arya eyes met the Queen's grave ones and shook her head. Nasuada collapsed to the nearest chair, her chest heaving uncontrollably.

"Have you been able to contact Eragon?" the Queen barked at Trianna.

"Our scrying spells are not working" the nearest magician replied.

"Damn Eragon and his secluded island! Damn him for leaving us here to face this danger alone!" Orrin growled, entering the tent, looking beyond angry. He was followed by an injured Kull, Theon, and a younger dwarf Arya had seen before.

"My best warriors died tonight and they died for naught!" the Kull growled and the tent shook. He had deep cuts across his chest and some were still bleeding.

"My father, the dwarven King Orik, died tonight as well, so do not presume to lecture us about loss!" the young dwarf replied and stared at the Kull red eyed.

Theon growled. "Do you wish to start a fight, boy? Because if you do I will be glad to give it to you! Although the two dead Shades that attacked Murtagh outside, should be reason enough for you to avoid me!"

The young dwarf stepped forward, his eyes in slits and Arya moved quickly to stand between them, pressing a hand against each other's chest which was the most uncomfortable position she had ever stood in, considering the height difference between the two warriors.

"This is not the time to fight amongst ourselves. The enemy is out there. If you wish for more blood to be spilled face those monsters who did this to us!" she said in her most authoritive voice, which seemed to silence the two warriors.

"What of Angela? Or Elva? Have you been able to contact them?" Nasuada whispered this time to the nearest magician, who shook their head.

"Last we heard of both of them was more than ten years ago. There have been rumours that they were sighted in Teirm but none have been able to verify them" the male magician whispered. Trianna seemed to have gone into a sort of slumber.

Nasuada rose from her sit and paced back and forth for what seemed to be like hours, but was most likely only a few minutes.

"Out" she then said to everyone around her. "Everyone out apart from Arya!" she repeated in a louder tone.

"My Queen..?" Orrin intersected but she waved him off. Slowly one by one the warriors exited the tent.

Arya remained.

Nasuada crumbled to the ground next to Murtagh and held tightly on his hand, but he gave no response.

"You cast a spell upon him, no?" Nasuada asked and Arya nodded. "Good, that will reduce his suffering"

"Arya… I know this is much to ask of you but we have no other choice. Tonight the best of the best warriors across the land were present, but none was able to extinguish the threat. All three dragon riders died alongside their dragons as well. And…"

"I conversed with the creature that leads them. It is the strongest enemy I have ever faced. I do not know what powers it processes that make it above us, but Firnen and I were unable to stand against it and prevail. The cause of its attacks were unknown before but now it appears that one of the reasons could be Angela. It is searching for her" Arya said, interrupting the Queen.

Nasuada nodded. "It is as I fear then. None have seen the herbalist. In the beginning I assumed it was because she was on an adventure but maybe she is afraid to come out. Whoever this enemy is, is a strong one but… We have one more hope"

Arya stared at the Queen, realising the words which would flow next from Nasuada's lips.

"Eragon. He has other riders with him. We need his help in this. Scrying does not work so there is but one way of approaching him"

Arya thought of her people, desperately needing her in Alagaesia. Who would lead in her stead? Many had already died. And yet if she did nothing the situation was bound to grow graver. She had no choice in this.

"Tomorrow when Aiedail sparkles on the horizon I will have set off for Dis Atilan" Arya replied and went to exit the tent but Nasuada held tightly on her wrist.

"You will not set off alone. You must take Murtagh to Dis Atilan. Eragon might be able to do something for him and if not, at least he will be protected there"

Aryas brows pulled together. "Nasuada the trip will be hard. Murtagh is injured. It is unlikely that he will survive!"

"If he stays here it is certain that he will die within a fortnight, as you said. He will ride on Thorn" the Queen insisted and in this decision she appeared to be solid.

In a different scenario Arya might have interjected, stressing how Thorn and Murtagh would slow her down, but she said nothing as she watched Nasuada's expression. Arya went to leave, but once again the Queen held on her arm tightly.

Nasuada removed the intricate golden necklace she wore and handed it to Arya. "Over the years I have allowed Trianna to store some of my energy in the stones of the necklace. You need this energy more than I. If another attack happens in Alagaesia it is doubtful that I will survive. If I die…" Nasuada said and there she paused for a few seconds "give this to her. To my daughter"

…..

At dawn, the very next day, Arya was ready. She had informed the elves of her leave and had placed Lord Dathedr in command. It was obvious that the elves had not been happy with her decision but knew it was necessary.

She attempted to scry Eragon, Angela and Elva one more time but with no success. Firnen and Thorn awaited her at the edge of Bull Ridge's valley, both with some water and food strapped across their backs and an extra carriage for the red dragon - Murtagh lying on a makeshift wooden bed and also tightly strapped around Thorn.

Arya fingered the necklace Nasuada had given her and then safely placed it inside the pouch strapped next to her leather pants. She climbed upon her dragon and gently caressed his thorns.

Even though most of his injuries had been healed from elven magicians, the recent shadow wyrm attack had taken a toll on his general state of well-being.

_Will you be able to do this journey without a break?,_ she asked him, concerned.

The dragon answered her without a second thought_. I must._

Arya let out a deep sigh and looked at the glowing light of the morning star, Aiedail.

Out of all the different scenarios she might have envisaged for her return to Dis Atilan this was the one she dreaded the most. Arya had to face Eragon for the first time in years and convince him to return to Alagaesia with her, otherwise the world as they knew it was about to come to an end.

As Firnen and Thorn rose in the air she stared at what remained of BullRidge and the campsite around it.

_Nothing but smoke, blood and death. _

**A/N: I apologise for not posting a chapter earlier. Currently working on the next chapter and hopefully it should be posted by Sunday. Don't forget to tell me what you thought! **


	40. Truth or Dare?

**Truth or Dare?**

The light from the fire was casting dramatic shadows as the riders sat around it to play the Game. Tristan gulped down some of the wine Rikon had brought with him and watched everyone around him closely.

His sister kneeled to his side and whispered into his ear. "What do you think Grion was doing in the Games? You must have been surprised to see him"

Tristan hmphed. "Surprise is one word for it. I will attempt to scry him and mother tomorrow to find out more. I am glad he managed to enter the Games and standing against a Kull… He is brave!"

Kayla pressed her palms on her knees, worry thick in her tone of voice. "So you don't think something happened to our mother?"

Tristan shook his head quickly. "If something had happened Grion or Buster would have found a way to contact me. Scrying mirrors were aplenty in Bull Ridge. I am sure Grion could have requested an audience with the Dragon Riders if something like this had occurred"

Kayla nodded and went to add something more, but the incredibly hysterical and cheery voices of the twins interrupted her.

"Ilumëo orono dor?" May and Maya repeated, speaking in the Ancient Language and obviously addressing Rikon who looked at them with apprehension.

"Dor!" he replied quickly and slammed his cup on the ground with some force and almost rolled to the side. Grohn put a restraining hand on his friend's shoulder and corrected his position while Tristan hid a small smile, realising that his dwarven friend had had a bit too much to drink.

May rose and clapped her hands together. "What shall we make Rikon do? Shall we start easy and have him climb up to that tree and collect the bee's honey or …. Shall we go harder?"

Tristan gulped and Grohn next to him, smiled.

"Climbing atop the tree and collecting honey from sleeping bees? I don't think that's easy" his Urgal friend said.

"Rikon, you have your dare then!" Maya said and jumped across the fire to point at a tall tree.

The dwarf took another sip from his alcoholic beverage and went to climb the tree. Somewhere in the distance Tristan saw Fiord approaching. The dragon reached Rikon's side and with a simple nudge helped him climb atop the tall pine tree, easily collecting some of the bee's honey while the rest of the bees slept.

He then returned to the fire holding the jag with honey in it, presenting it to May and Maya. The twins laughed and Adrian shook his head.

"Using our dragons obviously defeats the purpose of this Game" the elf said and Fiord growled.

Tristan saw Vertigo flying above him unsteadily and landing on a patch of earth near them.

_Shame… And I was thinking of joining in_!, his dragon complained, but his words were slurred as if he had had too much to drink.

"No matter, I won the dare so its my turn!" Rikon said happily and turned to Adrian.

As soon as Adrian replied with a dare, Rikon had him collect some of Fiord's faeces. When Adrian returned it was obvious that he was dissatisfied –which made Tristan smile widely – even though the elf was carrying the dragon's faeces above him with magic.

He dropped them with force on the ground next to Rikon and then rose an eyebrow. "My turn"

"Ilumëo orono dor, Tristan?" Adrian asked and Tristan had to squint his eyes, knowing he had to be very careful with the elf, due to his mischievous ways.

If he said dare then it was certain that Adrian would have him do something horrific and possibly very hard. If he said truth, then, he could avoid this, although it would be cowardly of him to do so and he was also certain that Adrian would find a way of turning it around so that he could embarrass him even more. Now he understood what the twin girls had meant when saying that truth could be as interesting as dare. He was trapped like a fly in a spider's web.

"Dor" he whispered and looked at Adrian who was half smilng. Gwen, opposite him, pressed her lips together while Grohn whistled.

Adrian's expression turned to serious again. "I dare you to use magic and return this jag of honey back to the bees nest"

Vertigo jaws near Tristan must have popped open, because Tristan heard a snapping sound. He took in a deep breath returning Adrian's glare. Out of all the things Adrian could have asked him to do, he had asked for the simplest of tasks. For most dragon riders, that is.

Tristan pressed his palms on his knees and rose from the ground, collecting the jag of honey from Rikon's trembling hands and walked to the pine tree without returning his friends' stares. He knew all the dragon riders were watching him.

"Risa jagar" he whispered and willed the jag in front of him to rise.

But of course, it did not. There was no magic present at the back of his mind as he had heard Kayla and Laer once describing, nor was there a feeling of power flowing through him. He felt Vertigo's presence inside his mind and he felt as if the dragon was trying to pass him some of his power. but Tristan quickly shook his head.

_No, this is my task, not yours. _

Vetrigo's tail twitched. _As you wish._

Tristan swallowed and tried again, but as before nothing happened. He must have attempted to rise the jag atop the tree for at least five minutes before he stopped, turned around and returned to the fire. Wordlessly, he passed the jar to Adrian and took his sit near his sister as before, knowing full well that all eyes were on him.

"You did not complete your dare" Maya said smiling, stating the obvious.

_Oh, how I hate the elves!,_ Tristan whispered inside Vertigo's mind.

"Which means that you will be excluded from the next parts of the Game and at the end we can find a suitable punishment for you and others who did not complete their challenges" May continued and winked at him.

Tristan nodded and he unstrapped the bow he had across his back, caressing the smooth wood.

The next questions of the Game seemed to pass quicker, but whether this was because he was no longer participating in it or due to his slightly drunken state of mind he did not know. Maybe it was simply due to the fact that Adrian had managed to make his point and embarrass him in front of the riders. It was known, of course, that dragon riders could use magic, but he appeared not to be able to do so.

He shot the male elf a glare which he hoped could communicate his feelings and tightened his grip on the bow. Surprisingly, Adrian seemed not to be boasting about what he had accomplished but rather he appeared to be in regret. The elf turned his gaze away from Tristan and looked at the circle of riders.

Questions in the Game included Rikon's heritage, who apparently was King Orik's illegitimate son, dares which had Kayla and Grohn strip to their underwear and do a crazy dance under the moonlight – something all the riders found hilarious apart from Kayla who was looking at everyone with death glares - and others. Someone asked the twin girls whether they had sided with the enemy to which they instantly replied that: "No, they would never side with the enemy" and then Rikon asked Laer whether he was an Urgal to which he replied "No" while laughing. It seemed that the Game had grown less serious over time which was frankly to Tristan's advantage as the riders' attention was elsewhere and not on him.

But then the questions of the Game changed again and started becoming more romantic, in a way. Maurine asked Kayla whether she harboured any romantic feelings for any riders present to which she replied "No" with a serious expression on her face. Tristan tried to notice the riders' reactions and everyone seemed to have paid little attention to her answer apart from Laer who smiled. Then Kayla dared Grohn to balance 6 swords around his body, which he did, but at some point he lost his balance and one of the sword sliced his arm. Gwen's expression suddenly became worried and rushed to the Urgal's side, but Kayla had already healed his injuries within seconds. Everyone returned to their sits apart from Gwen.

"This Game has gone too far, maybe we should stop" she said and went to head back, but Grohn who was fully healed, pointed at her.

"Not yet! I have a question for you" he said and smiled widely.

The twin girls kneeled forward, clasping their hands together as if in anticipation. Tristan kneeled forward as well, because during the Game none had directed a question at Gwen.

"Ilumëo orono dor, Gwen?" the Urgal asked and the human dorm leader paused, looking as if she was considering her options. Flee or play the game? And if play the game, choose what? Tristan wished she would pick truth because that way he could find out more about her. Possibly.

But Gwen crossed her arms over her chest and whispered "dor" which seemed to please the twin girls greatly as they exploded in a fit of laughter. By now though, everyone was used to these sudden outbursts so they simply ignored them.

"I dare you to kiss the rider next to me. Tristan" Grohn said and Rikon whistled, while Laer smiled and Adrian pressed his lips together.

Tristan's breath was caught between his lungs as he stared at everyone around him, shocked. So far no one had dared each other to initiate physical contact with another rider and this was beyond his expectations.

_I guess it's your lucky day,_ Vertigo whispered into his mind and his reptilian face had turned into a sort of smirk.

Tristan watched Gwen as she walked towards him in a few quick steps, her olive skin glowing against the fire's light, her dark curly hair brushing the edges of her chest. He tried to look at her almond eyes and understand what was passing through her thoughts, but he came to no conclusions as the rider kneeled next to him.

He could see that her heartbeat had increased, as the vein which run down her neck was beating erratically. Gwen inched closer to him, her lips only a breath away from his and instinctively he touched her shoulder which seemed to surprise the rider, but not alter her course.

Their lips touched, only for a fleeting moment and Tristan could feel blood running to his face. Maybe it was due to the fact that he was sitting so close to the fire, but suddenly he felt like he was burning from the inside out, only it was a good burn, the same burn one feels when the sun touches their skin on a clear warm day.

He expected Gwen to pull away after this, but instead she paused and then kissed him again, only this time the kiss seemed to be more powerful to which Tristan responded in kind, tightening his grip on her shoulder and he felt a sigh escaping her lips before she pulled away. Tristan tried to meet her eyes, but she looked away, facing the rest of the riders.

The kiss could not have lasted more than thirty seconds, but still, he felt as if hours had passed and he was left with this burning sensation and an unsatisfied need for more. Which did not seem to be what Gwen was feeling since she had regained her composure and was looking at the riders seriously, as they whistled.

"Relax riders. I did my part. Now, Adrian, truth or dare?" she asked quickly which surprised the elf sitting opposite her.

From all the riders present, Adrian appeared to be the most dissatisfied with the outcome of the dare, but maybe he was merely dissatisfied because Tristan's luck had turned.

"Dor" Adrian said, facing Gwen with silted eyes and she sighed.

"Why isn't anyone using truths in the Game?" Maya said, sounding almost disappointed and her sister, May, patted her shoulder as if in comfort which made Tristan laugh. Kayla rose her eyebrow at him and returned his smile.

_Impressive. I am not sure if what I witnessed was a mating ritual but it appears that two legged creatures do this very quickly_, Vertigo whispered in his mind and Tristan had to contain a chuckle as he stared at his dragon.

_Vertigo, trust me, this was not a mating ritual. This was merely a kiss and it was part of a Game so_.., Tristan started but then paused as he listened to Gwen's next words.

"I dare you to stand before Tristan and fight him, but without using magic" she said and sat down again, near the fire.

That earned another round of whistles and May shot up and started clapping her hands quickly.

"But of course we have to determine what will happen if one of them loses! Since Tristan is out of the Game if he loses then he has to do something, whereas if Adrian loses then he will have just a wounded pride. Finally things are getting exciting!" she said and her sister was chirping like a bird.

"Is this really fair though? Tristan has only been a rider for less than a year whereas Adrian has been on the island for longer?" Laer asked and Kayla nodded.

"It does not matter!" the twins exclaimed and Gwen bit her lip as if reconsidering her dare while Tristan could only look around him in shock.

_And there I thought my day was getting better!,_ he exclaimed in Vertigo's mind, annoyed.

Then Maya jumped across the fire and landed in front of Tristan. "If you lose you will have to climb down a steep rock, the likes of which you have never seen before. You will not use magic or your dragon's help to do so"

Gwen pressed her lips together. "Maya this steep rock you speak of is used only for training and for upper level students. It would not be fair to have this as a punishment…"

"If I lose then I will have to climb up and down the rock three times. Would this make it fair? Do you agree to the terms, human?" Adrian asked in an almost insulting tone, interrupting Gwen at the same time.

Tristan pressed his lips together and leaned forward, but Kayla grabbed his arm and whispered to his ear. "Tristan this is just a Game, you don't need to agree to any of the terms. You don't even have to fight Adrian for that matter. And you know Eragon instructed us not to fight amongst ourselves without supervision"

Tristan turned to her, surprising both her and himself, as he was usually the one to follow the rules on this island whereas she did not. "My pride has been hurt once already today. I will not allow the satisfaction to cross Adrian's face again" he said and then added "I accept"

….

The sun was starting to rise in the horizon as Tristan went into his fighting position.

The riders had gathered near the edge of the cliff, opposite the towering shadow of the steep rock the twins had mentioned. Only they had failed to add that this was not a rock but more like a tall, smooth, rocky surface with a few sharp spikes springing forth. Tristan could understand why climbing atop it would be hard, considering the lack of places to hold on to and in the case of one falling, they were certain to fall to their death.

He swallowed and tried not to think of would happen if he did fall. Instead, he examined the weapons he had on him, a sword Laer had lent him and the bow strapped across his back. There hadn't been much time for any other preparations to be made or protective armour to be worn. Besides, protective armours and shields were only useful in battles and not so much in one to one combat.

Adrian stood before him, looking like his usual self only more collected. He had a sword strapped across his back, but for the moment he was bare handed, for what purpose Tristan could not understand.

It was only right for the twins to signal the start of the match, as they had been the ones orchestrating this whole event. May and Maya stood near the cliff, in a safe distance from the riders, holding a flag they had made from magic. Tristan tightened his grip on Laer's sword, as the warm spring breeze ruffled through his braids. He had had little to no sleep over the last two days, but he felt more alert than ever, wine and exhaustion abandoning him in the face of impending doom.

"On your mark riders…."the twins whispered and Tristan could feel the eyes of all riders on him, specifically those of his sisters and Gwen's.

_If you lose, you are dead_, Vertigo whispered in his mind as he flew above the smooth, steep rock which rose from the water's surface as the waves crushed loudly at the edges of its base.

Tristan smirked. _Thanks for the comforting thought._

_Any time. Good luck, Tristan,_ his dragon said just as the twins signalled the start of the fight.

Tristan had seen Adrian fight before. He had seen him face the infamous werecat, Maud, and he had seen him losing. Tristan's fighting skill at the time could not even compare to the elf's, but now, maybe there was a chance of him winning.

He heard Grohn blowing a horn and watched the flag dropping down, signalling the beginning of the combat.

Instead of throwing himself into the fray he decided to fight Adrian from a distance, dodging and sidestepping trying as much as he could to find an opening in the elf's defence. But despite Tristan's evasions, Adrian was still able to touch him twice with his blade in rapid succession – once on the ribs and another on the shoulders. His expression changed to open contempt and dancing forward, Adrian was able to slid his blade up Laer's sword, twirling the blade and wrenching Tristan's wrist.

Tristan let out a pained cry and dropped the blade, not able to match the elf's superior strength. He saw Adrian momentarily lowering his defences, no doubt appreciating the advantage and with a backward turn Tristan took his chance and slid under Adrian's open legs. He then kicked the elf on his shoulders, hard, jumping off from his back and then running away as fast as he could.

While still running he unstrapped his bow with his right hand and with his left he obtained an arrow from his sheath. As soon as he turned around, ready to let the arrow fly loose he saw Adrian running for him. Tristan knew that he only had one chance at this. Adrian was far better than him at sword fighting and it was doubtful he would get another chance to use his bow. So he concentrated and felt the energy pulse through him just as a female cry tore through the early morning calm and he turned around.

He saw Gwen's horrified expression and he could not understand what had caused her to scream. Apparently he wasn't the only one, as all other riders had turned to her but she appeared to be speechless.

And in that moment Tristan knew he had lost his chance. There was a delicate balance between noticing your surroundings and the enemy – as he remembered from Octavian's extensive lessons - and he had failed. The distance between him and Adrian was too short for him to fire the arrow so instead he used its blade to counteract the blow from the elf. The arrow snapped in half and Tristan dodged a few more times, but his shoulders burned, sweat poured off his face and he had no weapon to defend himself other than his bow. At last, Tristan slipped and fell, but determined not to let the elf beat him while he was on the ground, he jumped up just in time for Adrian's blade to reach his chest.

It was obvious that Adrian had not anticipated this move, because shock and horror crossed his beautiful elvish features, as his blade slid inside Tristan's chest and caused blood to gash through. The cut was clean and fast so it took a few moments before the pain erupted inside Tristan's chest. A dragon's growl and a pained cry sounded from the riders. Tristan blinked as he fell to the ground, while Adrian tried to stop his fall by placing his arms around Tristan's shoulders.

"You fool! Why did you not stay in the ground?" Adrian bellowed, irritated and tried to remove carefully his blade form Tristan's chest, but as he did so, more blood splattered and he stopped.

"I need help!" Adrian cried just as Kayla and Laer arrived at the scene, but the elf dismissed them quickly. "No, I need Gwen or the twins, they are more experienced, they…"

"…are not here" Kayla finished for him. "Gwen said she saw something like a vision and that attacks are happening in Alagaesia. I am not sure if that is the case but she went to warn Eragon and the twins accompanied her" she added and kneeled next to Tristan and Maurine, just as Rikon and Grohn arrived, all looking worried and anxious.

Vertigo was the last to arrive, but he landed on the surface with such force that he made the rocks tremble.

_Tristan! Are you all right? Let me slice this elf apart!,_ the grey-blue dragon bellowed inside his mind and went to attack Adrian who stood up and raised his arms in the air just as Mars landed and stood before him.

_This will not save you, you ungrateful elf…,_ Vertigo whispered as he prepared to blow fire.

_Vertigo, no!,_ Tristan exclaimed inside his dragon's mind and as he did so the effort seemed to cause more blood to flow and he winced in pain. This stopped his dragon who kneeled on the ground and stared at him.

"Onyx and Fiord notify Eragon or one of the elders!" Laer shouted and the two dragons set off without further due.

Tristan watched Adrian concentrating and making one more attempt at removing the blade from the wound, but again stopped as the blood flowed. Suddenly Tristan felt nauseous and weak and he felt his sister's fingers slide through his.

"Adrian, let me do this. Out of everyone here I am the most capable at handling magic. I will need your help though, since I have never healed an injury of this extent" Tristan heard Kayla say as he blinked, feeling as if he was going in and out of consciousness.

"Do you have enough energy to heal him? If not I will lend you mine!" Adrian said but his voice felt like it was coming from a dream.

_Do not dare go into unconsciousness_!, Vertigo bellowed into his mind and Tristan's eyes shot open just as the blade was being removed from his chest and excruciating pain was running through his veins. Rikon or Grohn must have given him something to bite on, because next thing he knew he had a cloth inside his mouth and the blood was running aplenty. He could feel hands touching him and words being whispered and then energy or rather magic was running through him.

He felt his blood returning into his veins and flowing fast, his skin stitching itself back together, organs and bones that were shattered, regenerating. At last, he felt something cold spread over his chest and he saw Laer spreading a green paste.

"What is this?" he asked while coughing and trying to rise.

His sister's angry stare stopped him. "Do not dare move. If you do, your stitches will break and I am not sure I can heal you again. It was hard enough doing this the first time. I just hope I haven't made any bones grow where they shouldn't"

Her last sentence made Tristan want to touch his ribs and make sure that all were there, but Adrian held his hands on the side.

"This is a mixture of Dilia Velosa, Analaj, Kirkumon and water. It stops the bleeding and numbs the pain" Laer replied, answering his previous question.

"Thank you" Tristan said, adressing all of them and took a deep, struggled breath. Even though there was no evident trace of pain he was still afraid to make any sudden movements.

"How is this possible? The blades should have been dulled before the start of the fight!" Adrian said, thoughtful, and then cursed out loud, probably realising what Tristan already had.

"The blades were last handled by the twins" Laer whispered picking up his blade and examining it. "No trace of magic"

_Two-faced devils!,_ Vertigo growled in his mind and Tristan could tell that his dragon was about to take flight and go attack them, but he raised a hand in the air.

_Vertigo, please. We will resolve this later. _

His dragon bared his lips and showed his fangs for a second before he set back onto the earth's surface. _As long as I get to peel the skin of their flesh later. _

"I don't understand how they could do this!" Rikon bellowed and Grohn shook his head.

"They most likely thought that it would make the match more exciting if they did so. You know how they are" the Urgal replied.

"They are with Gwen now, though. And I do not trust them to be around her. Especially after what happened" Laer said and he shot up. "Onyx has notified Octavian of what occurred but the riders have not yet seen either her or the twins. I shall go search for them"

Before anyone could stop him Laer was gone, running faster than Tristan had ever seen him do.

"I promise I will climb the rock tomorrow, Adrian" Tristan said to the elf in a joking manner, but both he and Kayla shot him murderous expressions.

"Do not be foolish again, human! It was a stupid game, you have proved your worth, it was wrong of me to accuse you of not being able to use magic and if you do attempt to climb the rock I will finish what I accidentally started" Adrian whispered in a dangerous manner.

Grohn and Rikon looked at the elf surprised, while Kayla shook her head quickly while looking at her brother.

They let Tristan rest for a while before anyone attempted of moving him back to the human dorms, but by then his injuries seemed to have faded to nothing and he was able to walk although he did use Grohn and Adrian for support. On his way back he was stopped by Octavian, Laer, the twins and Gwen.

Octavian's brow glowed under the sunlight as precipitation flowed from his skin. "Well" he said crossing his arms over his chest. "I see you have broken the rules, fought amongst yourselves without supervision, gone out into the night without permission and injured yourselves greatly. Honestly, I could punish you for what you did but…" he said pausing to point at Tristan "I fear you may have already learnt your lesson and you will not repeat such doings again"

Everyone nodded and Octavian smiled. "Great. Now that this is resolved… We can all head to training!"

Everyone stared at him with open mouths.

"Oh, don't look so surprised. Just because the Games are over it does not mean training is over as well" he said, cheerfully.

"But… What about the attacks in Alagaesia?" Rikon whispered troubled and Octavian raised an eyebrow turning to Gwen who shook her head.

"It appears I was wrong. I am not sure what made me feel like I had seen something. We scried Bull Ridge in the Grand Hall with the elders. Everything appears to be normal" Gwen whispered and looked on the ground, perplexed, fingering her dagger.

Tristan stared at the human rider for a few long moments before he followed everyone else for training.

He was not buying it. He remembered her desperate, heart-drenching scream. This was not a simple coincidence. As everyone walked ahead of him he grabbed Gwen's arm, but not forcefully, and she turned around to face him.

"You saw something, Gwen. That look on your face…" he whispered, while he took a struggled breath, his chest slightly sore from his very recent injuries.

She shook her head. "I am sorry Tristan. It is my fault you lost against Adrian and I also was wrong about the attacks. If truth be told I only dared Adrian to fight against you so that you could prove to the rest of the riders that you are worthy. Because you are. You would have won if I hadn't screamed and I cannot apologise enough…"

"What did you see Gwen? And why were you so certain that it was true?" Tristan asked interrupting her words.

She shook her head again, her curls bouncing atop her back. "I was given something, once, by the Queen of Alagaesia" she said caressing her dagger again and the stone that decorated it "This would allow me to know if something ill had befallen her"

Tristan did not pause to question why the Queen of Alagaesia had given Gwen a dagger. "And what did you see?"

Again, Gwen shook her head. "It does not matter, it is not true..."

"Gwen!" Tristan bellowed as he watched the human dorm leader approaching the rest of the riders and leaving him feeling more confused than ever.

And he wasn't the only one. Kayla, Laer and Adrian were all interrogating the twins who appeared perplexed one moment and then laughed uncontrollably the next.

"Stop, whispering amongst yourselves, students!" Octavian shouted and then pointed with his finger behind him. "Behold Stenr abr Andlát. Who of you is willing to translate this?"

"Stone of Death?" Maurine asked and Tristan had to cover his eyes as the sun was shining directly at him and he couldn't discern what it was. As soon as a cloud covered the sun he was able to see and he gasped realising what it was.

Stenr Abr Andlát was the Rock that the twins had told him to climb as a dare. And now apparently he had to climb it, not because of a dare, but because his training had gotten to that stage. He swallowed and stared at Octavian, wondering if despite what the Master of Strength had told them, this was indeed their punishment.

**Ancient Language Translations:**

Risa jagar = Rise jag

Ilumëo orono dor = Truth or dare?

Dor = Dare

Stenr Abr Andlát = Stone of Death

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to tell me what you thought! Next chapter should be posted on Sunday next week or the one after. **


	41. Dark Clouds Gathering

**Dark clouds gathering.**

**A/N: Ancient Language Translations are at the end of the chapter.**

Octavian had preferences.

Or at least that's how it looked like as he sent of May and Maya first to climb Stenr Abr Andlá. He gave no explanation as to why he had done so and Tristan had to wonder again whether this was an indirect punishment.

Since the rock rose from the sea's surface and was not connected to Dis Atilan, the twins could either use magic to be transported there –something that would require a great deal of energy as the rock wasn't even that close to the land- or they could choose to fly there with their dragon, Cyclops. It was no surprise that they chose to do the latter and soon Tristan could see their forms descending slowly down the mountain.

In the meanwhile Octavian split the young riders into teams and had them spar. Even though Tristan should have been exhausted from not sleeping much the last two days, drinking all night, sparring with Adrian and finally sustaining an injury which would have killed most humans, elves, Urgals or dwarves he was feeling quite energetic. He could feel a slight pressure in his wound whenever he moved and he was careful not to make any sudden moves but still, he was able to fight like he would any other day.

The same could not be said for either Adrian or Kayla though, who appeared to be exhausted. The rest of the riders didn't look too good either and Rikon almost fell asleep while he sparred with Maurine which earned him a loud smack at the back of his head.

Tristan was sparring casually against Grohn, being careful not to overexert either himself or the Urgal, when Octavian stopped him.

"Take of your shirt boy" Octavian commanded and Tristan had to raise an eyebrow as he stared at the Master of Strength.

Still he did as he was told and Octavian's fingers traced the edges of his wound, seeming to concentrate hard on something. Then he turned to the rest of the riders. "Who healed his injury?"

Adrian stepped forward, looking almost happy to have stopped sparring –something which was unlike his character. "It was mostly Kayla although I did participate in certain parts and Laer administered the paste on the wound"

Kayla nodded while she was eating an apple and gulping down water. Octavian kneeled, picking some of the paste that was on Tristan's wound and tasting it. "Why did you use the paste?"

"Kayla and I had exhausted most of our energy reserves to heal the bones and internal organs and the skin above was something the paste could easily heal" Adrian replied.

Octavian rubbed some of the paste against his fingers and smelled it. "Maud instructed you on how to make the paste Laer, no?"

Laer nodded and Tristan looked at the other rider surprised, as this was not something Maud had taught the other riders. Laer must have had some private sessions with Maud from the likes of it.

Octavian rose from the ground and smiled. "Impressive job, riders. I do not know the exact extent of Tristan's injuries, but healing him… There is no trace of damage, meaning that you must have followed the exact same pattern the bones had beforehand and also… The internal organs. Truly impressive"

Tristan smiled, both because he was happy that all his bones were where they were supposed to be and because his sister, Adrian and Laer had done a very good job at healing him.

By midday the two twin girls had finished their descent and were flying back to land.

Adrian stilted his eyes as he took another break from sparring –the forth one so far. "I still do not trust them. They said what we expected, that it would make the fighting more exciting if they didn't dull the blades but still…"

"… there is something off" Kayla added for him as she, as well, looked at the twin girls with mistrust.

Gwen walked to their direction and crossed her arms over her chest, shaking her head. "They were most helpful when coming with me to Glieonard to notify Eragon and besides, someone did ask them if they had sided with the enemy during the Truth or Dare Game to which they replied no"

Adrian hmphed and Tristan was once again surprised by the elf's sudden change of manner. From being arrogant, insulting and manipulative the previous night, he had suddenly turned into his fierce protector. Tristan remembered that even during their sparring competition Adrian had been trying not to injure him greatly and only win. If he had wanted to actually injure him, no doubt some of the blows he had landed would have resembled those from one of their previous matches together.

Bewildered, he walked towards the edge of the cliff to see the twin girls landing with grace and handing smiles to the rest of the riders as if nothing was amiss.

As Octavian walked to Tristan's side, the human rider did not fail to notice that whereas there had been bright sun before, now, clouds had started gathering in the horizon.

"Tristan, as you seem to be the only rider energetic enough today, I think you should give the good example to the rest of the riders and climb down Stenr Abr Andlá" the Master of Strength said with a smirk.

Both Adrian and Kayla stepped forward and glared at Octavian who simply waved them off. "Do you disagree that he is the strongest one of you at the moment? The rest of you are weak, no doubt exhausted from the drinking, healing and fooling about"

"But his wounds…"Kayla intersected this time and Octavian raised an eyebrow.

"…are perfectly healed I believe" the Master of Strength added with a mischievous smile.

…..

The rock was steep, there was no doubt about that. At that moment Tristan wished his dragon was with him to help him get down but, no, that would be cheating. And he was going to uphold his end of the deal.

"Don't forget, no magic allowed. Just your human abilities" Octavian shouted behind him – no doubt using magic to make his voice audible in the distance - as his sister and the rest of the young riders watched.

_As if I could use magic!,_ Tristan exclaimed and watched Vertigo's shadow above him.

_If you fall I will catch you no matter what Octavian or whoever else's rules are_, the dragon warned.

Tristan took in a deep breath and carefully placed his feet inside a very small opening in the rock while grabbing tightly at a slightly extended white-pink spike. The wind was blowing hard against his back which only intensified the difficulty of the task. Then again the wind always blew hard where sea and land met, as if to show them how different one was from the other. The sea was liquid, smooth, fluid and powerful while the land was hard, solid and very breakable.

Once more he was glad his hair was in braids. If it had been loose it would have only fallen in front of his eyes and clouded his vision. Momentarily he looked down, where the waves crushed against the sharp rocks of Stenr Abr Andlá and he wished he hadn't. His mind was lost in vertigo for a second before he quickly regained his balance and composure.

It felt as if hours had passed, but he was steadily approaching flat land. His muscles were straining, each step down, a bet between life and death. Even though sweat was running aplenty from his face and back, no droplets managed to reach his chest or lower back as the wind dried them off quickly.

_Almost there!,_ he said in Vertigo's mind, trying to sound excited but the dragon only flew closer to him.

_You are only half way down, Tristan,_ the dragon said, seriously.

Tristan gasped. _Tell me this is another one of your attempts in humour._

Vertigo blew wind from his nostrils loudly. _Check for yourself._

And as Tristan did so he realised that the dragon was right. Whereas before it looked like he was approaching flat land, now he knew it was only a slightly bigger opening in the rock. The size of the waves had increased in the last few hours, foam reaching as high as to that opening he had noticed before and that's why he had confused it as the base.

_Barzul!,_ he swore, using the dwarwish language.

Just then a strong gust of wind blew and Tristan felt Vertigo being blown away. He grabbed tightly on the extended spike of rock and looked back to see where his dragon was.

Vertigo was struggling with the wind's force, trying to correct his course but only failing and being blown further away from him. Tristan noticed the dark clouds above him and he thought he saw a lightning strike somewhere near them.

_Vertigo!,_ Tristan shouted in his dragon's mind, anxious.

Another strong gust of wind blew and Tristan had to tighten his grip on the rocks in order not be blown away while Vertigo completely lost course.

_Tristan, Vertigo return to land. The weather is changing quickly and there is a storm coming. It would not be wise to get caught in it_, Octavian whispered in both their minds and Tristan nodded, maintaining his position and waiting for Vertigo.

But no matter how hard the dragon tried, he could not reach him as the wind was blowing directly towards him. Tristan felt Vertigo's annoyance and he saw the dragon flying higher, trying to gain altitude and bypass the strong gusts of wind. However, what he hadn't anticipated was the lighting which struck again, only nearer, momentarily making his surroundings brighter and then darkening them again.

Tristan felt water droplets on his face washing the salt from the sea's waves and he shouted to Vertigo, warning him not to come any closer, but this seemed to have the opposite effect of what he wanted as the dragon only pushed harder against the bad weather, flying in all possible confirmations in order to avoid the wind's course.

Vertigo was getting closer to his rider, so Tristan decided to jump on the dragon's back. He watched his dragon's form approaching and he let go of one of the rocks, placing his feet closer to the edge of the Rock's opening. Just then another strong gust of wind blew, the strongest of all the previous ones and Vertigo got propelled away from him while Tristan lost his balance, his feet tangling uncontrollably below him and his hands grabbed onto the first thing they found. The sharpness of the rock's spikes sliced his palms open, fresh blood gushing from them, but he ignored the pain and tried to grab tighter.

One more lightning struck, one which was too close to ignore and Tristan felt the thunder's vibrations running down Stenr Abr Andlá and causing a rock avalanche. The spike he had been holding onto only a few moments ago, snapped in half and Tristan knew that there was nothing he could grab onto quickly enough to save himself.

He starting descending into nothingness quickly, moving faster than he ever had. He saw Vertigo's form trying to reach him and felt his dragon's sharp nails slicing through his back, trying to grab him but failing. Was he going to die? Was the sea too far away from him? Would this be the end?

Just before he reached the sea he felt his body pausing in mid-air for a few seconds and then continuing its descent, only his speed was a lot slower than before. Cold sea water came rushing to meet him and Tristan instinctively held his breath as he was swallowed into the abyss.

Silence enveloped him, the sounds of rain, wind and thunder drowning below the water's surface and Tristan blinked. When he opened his eyes, he saw some of the most surreal images curved at the rock's underwater surface coming to life with every thrust of light. He could have stayed there and watch the images dance, telling a story far older than what was written in scripts, but he felt himself being pulled back to the surface.

Hands grabbed him and placed him on rough scales, while he coughed salt water and before he knew it he was back on land. He squinted his eyes and saw Eragon holding his shoulders. Octavian was barking orders to the rest of the riders and the young dragons as the storm seemed to be getting stronger and stronger, tall trees snapping in half and rocks crushing from the edges of tall mountains.

….

Kayla could feel the anger and worry consuming her. Her hands were shaking as energy flashes shot from her fingertips and she swallowed and breathed deeply trying to control her emotions.

"All dragons and riders walk back to your dorms. No one flies tonight, understood?" Octavian barked loudly at them and Kayla saw him shooing the riders away but she run to her brother's side before he could stop her.

Eragon was kneeling next to him with Saphira and Vertigo by his side.

"You almost died twice today. Not once but twice!" Kayla shouted angrily at him and Tristan managed to smile to her.

"The second time wasn't my fault entirely" he replied to her in a low tone and she sighed.

"Lets take your brother back to the human dorms" Eragon advised and Kayla nodded, tightening her hands into fists as a precaution.

For the second time today, Tristan put his hand over her shoulder as she held tightly on him and walked back to the human dorms in silence.

Aiedail was walking next to her, her wings tightly pressed against her sides, throwing concerned glances at her direction.

_This has been a very long day_, her dragon commented and Kayla nodded, trying not to think of everything that had happened today. It was too much for her to remember every single detail.

_What if I told you that you could lie in the Ancient Language? _

She remembered the words as if they had been whispered into her mind only a few seconds ago, even though it had been hours.

_What if I told you that we are different from everyone else here? _

Kayla shook her head, trying not to think of the golden spark. When they reached the human dorms, Tristan thanked Eragon and entered the building with no assistance from her or the Dragon Rider Leader.

"I think the only thing I need now is some food and then my warm bed" Tristan whispered to both of them.

"Despite your wants I am afraid this will be a long night. We need to keep watch and make sure everyone is safe. We don't want any more accidents" Gwen said, walking quickly to them and nodding to Eragon who seemed to be in a rush to return to Glieonard. The Dragon Rider Leader waved them off and within seconds he was out of their sight.

The noise of the thunder made their dorm shake momentarily and even the dragons appeared to be concerned for a few seconds.

"As powerful as dragon riders might be, the weather's elements are something we cannot control or fight against" Laer said, walking into the room, a half-smile fixed upon his face. There was a glint in his eyes when he looked at her and Kayla quickly looked away from him.

"We should take turns in two tonight" Gwen started, keeping her usual composure not betraying in the slightest the horror that had crossed her face at dawn today while Tristan and Adrian were fighting. "Gas is in Glieonard and will be staying there tonight. Tristan and Kayla you should rest as you have used the most energy today. Laer and I can keep watch and maybe wake you near dawn…"

"Gwen you are just as exhausted as everyone else here" Tristan said, looking at her, his eyes in slits and pressed his arms over his chest.

Kayla raised an eyebrow. "You have suffered two deadly experiences today. If you don't go rest at this moment Tristan, I mean it, I will cast a sleeping spell on you"

Tristan looked at her with his mouth open while Laer stiffened a laugh.

"I believe it would only be fair if we tossed a coin to see who will keep watch tonight" the dark-haired rider offered and produced a coin from his pocket.

Gwen and Kayla shook their heads quickly, but Tristan nodded.

"It is only fair" her brother exclaimed and Kayla nodded, realising there was a way to turn the situation into her favour.

They decided to have one male and one female rider keeping watch tonight. First the coin was tossed to determine whether Laer or Tristan would stay up and Kayla watched the coin landing on Laer's palm. She didn't know if Laer noticed it but she made the coin turn its side, once. When Laer opened his hand they saw that it was tails, meaning that Laer would be keeping watch tonight first.

Tristan exclaimed angrily and Kayla tried not to betray any of her emotions. When the coin was tossed again she did not care about the outcome so she did not influence the coin's side. It turned out that it would be her turn first to keep watch tonight, alongside Laer.

Kayla sighed and slumped down on the nearest chair. Her stomach suddenly growled and Laer laughed, tossing her an apple. She accepted the apple, slightly embarrassed, mumbling "Thanks".

Before she was able to bite on its surface, the skin of the apple started pilling of and she looked at the sparks flying from her hands, horrified.

"I am assuming you don't yet have your magic under control?" Laer asked kindly.

Kayla took a deep breath, the sparks in her hands disappearing and shook her head. "Training with Maud is helping"

A thunder shook the dorms once more and Kayla heard Aiedail's worried growl.

_I have never faced a storm of this extent_, the dragon said in her mind.

_Neither have I_, Kayla responded and found herself suggesting to Laer to join their dragons to which he accepted.

The structures in which the dragons slept were protected from the rain but the same material that covered Maud's hut had been placed around them, hence allowing them to look outside as if there was absolutely nothing between themselves and the storm. Onyx had his head next to Laer's arms and the other rider was casually stroking his dragon's under chin.

Aiedail had curled into a ball of sorts and was staring at the storm with a threatening look in her eyes.

"Did you enjoy the Games?" Laer asked, obviously trying to make small talk.

Kayla sighed and looked at him, raising an eyebrow, changing the direction of the conversation all together, not able to contain her curiosity any longer. "Will you ever tell the rest of the riders? Or Eragon?"

Laer hmphed and smiled, looking at the ground and pulling his black hair back from his horns. "Will _you_? I know you lied in the Truth or Dare Game"

She looked at him, shocked. "You cannot lie in the Ancient Language"

Laer laughed. "How wrong you are. Elves bend the truth all the time in the Ancient Language. They have mastered this skill through years of practice. Obviously the same cannot be said for dwarves, Urgals and humans. But you… You did not just bend the truth. You lied and the magic took no effect on you"

He was looking at her again with his half-smile and his eyes were sparkling golden.

Kayla swallowed and spoke in the Ancient Language. "I did not lie"

Laer smiled again and looked at the ground, turning to the Ancient Language. "You might not realise it yet, but you did lie in the Ancient Language. You have a certain ability to manipulate the energy and magic around you in curious ways"

Aideail's ears shot up as a lightning and thunder exploded around them, momentarily causing the night to turn into day.

Kayla bit her lower lip hard. "Eka un ono havr yawe" she said and then added. "I do not lie about this. I will keep your secret. I promised"

Laer shook his head. "Why do you trust me? There are dark forces gathering in the horizon, I know you can feel them as intensely as I can. I could be hiding a secret related to these dark forces" he said and again his eyes sparked golden just as the lightning struck loudly in some trees near them.

Kayla shivered.

Why did she? Only a few months ago he was the one she had trusted the least. She still did not trust him entirely but…

"Just before the end of the Games. At the lake… The spirits…" she started then stopped and shook her head. "They would have warned me against trusting you"

He smirked. "Istalri eldrvarya unin ono. Thornessa weohnata waise anglat"

Kayla shot up as soon as he said this. "Neo trayin!"

"Neo wiol ono" he replied and she sat down staring at him cautiously.

"You know things that I do not. Why will you not share them with me?" Kayla asked him.

"I only guess about some things. If I told you what I guessed then this could cost you, your life" he replied.

Kayla hmphed. "Like when you guessed that I lied in the Ancient Language"

"Oh, this was not a guess" he said, smirking and Kayla shot up once again.

He met her intense stare with a mischievous one which only made her angrier.

"Stop it" she said silently.

Kayla heard Onyx growling and suddenly Laer's expression changed all together, appearing cautious. "If you wish"

She nodded and sat down again in silence, not interested in speaking to Laer any longer, lost in her own thoughts.

A lightning flash shot opposite them just then, making her and Aiedail jump in the air, terror momentarily running through her veins fast. They waited a few more moments imagining the worst, but nothing happened.

Laer then shivered and grabbed on a nearby rock tightly, an expression of pure terror crossing his features. "The storm is already here"

…

The rain was falling loudly outside the shop and Solembum stared at Angela as she run around, panicked.

"And I told them to reinforce the wall but none would listen to me! Blah! What do I care anyway? All I do is warn and warn them and they never listen" the herbalist said as she rearranged the assortment of jars she had around her shop.

"Now all my dry herbs will…" she started, trying to dry some jars with her breath alone and then stopped, realising it would not work "… get wet"

Solembum purred, deciding not to offer any advice. He was still irritated at the herbalist for sending Elva away. Although he enjoyed his time much with the herbalist, having someone else around to taunt had been very entertaining. And then she had to go and tell the girl to go find her own way!

"Oh, no! Not my potion books!" she shouted angrily as the windows opened, causing a gust of wind to enter and throwing all of the books on the self on the ground.

Angela jumped and balanced herself between the fallen bookcases, collecting her items. She threw an angry glare at Solembum who casually licked his paws. Teirm was not the best place to be at the moment but it had been Angela's idea to return here. Although it had been a hard choice to pick between Elva and Angela, Somlembum had known that the herbalist needed him more. She had tried to shoo him away as well, -like a scolded cat!- but he had only followed her more closely which infuriated her.

Angela threw herself on the windows across her, trying to shut them closed and blew a few curls from her forehead, irritated.

Just then another, stronger gust of wind caused all the windows and doors of her shops to fly open. Solembum jumped from the soft chair and landed next to Angela's side, his hair on edge as he stared at the door, growling. Something was coming.

The herbalist next to him took a deep breath and pressed her hands over her chest as if preparing for something.

A dark hooded figure walked into the shop with loud steps. It knocked aside a few fallen items and stared at Angela. Solembum immediately stepped in front of the herbalist and growled at the figure. But the figure only laughed at him and with a few words he was propelled against one of the walls of the shop.

Angela stepped forward just then.

"This is between us. Leave everyone else alone" she whispered to the stranger.

The stranger laughed, loudly again. "As if I could! I no longer control the forces that are gathering. Your _friend_, Eragon, made sure of that, _awakening_ every single creature deep in slumber…"

Solembum watched Angela shiver and he growled trying to reach her side but then realised he was restrained by magic.

The hooded figure walked amongst the fallen objects, pausing at times to examine them and then laughing. "You poor thing. You still do not use magic, hiding your powers behind potions and herbs. Too afraid to do so is my guess"

"What do you want?" Angela asked the creature who cocked its head on the side as if bewildered.

"_Wise one_" the creature said, its tone thick with irony. "It took me a long time to find you. You were trying to hide from me but no matter. It was only a matter of time before I found you, _sister_"

Solembum could feel the dark energy gathering around him and making his hairs rise. He tried to shift back to his human form but there was a barrier. He knew he could do it though, even the most experienced magicians or riders could not hold a werecat prisoner long enough….

Energy exploded across him to where Angela was and the herbalist fell to the side, hiding behind a fallen bookcase.

The creature cocked its head on the side again. "This shall not save you. Use your _true powers_. That is if you dare"

Angela grabbed a few potions and with force Solembum had not seen her use before she started throwing them at the creature's directions. One of the potions landed on the door and caused it to explode on fire, the other on the bookcase, turning it into dust within seconds, but all failed to hit their intended target.

Another ball of dark energy exploded from the creature, landing on Angela who screamed in pain and Solembum managed to turn into his human form and then back to his feline form, attacking the creature with stealth and speed it did not possess. The creature screamed but quickly regained its composure and kicked him to the side and licked its lips.

"I hear kitties drown in water. Shall we test my theory?" it asked, laughing sadistically and all the water from the rain that was outside entered the house in full force covering the shop.

The creature locked windows and doors and Solembum was soon swimming inside it while Angela was trying to rise from her position.

"Use your powers, my sweet sister. Unless you fear what happened to Gokurara shall happen to you as well?" it asked and noticing that Angela had done nothing to change her previous position, it laughed. "Shame. Tenga would be ashamed of you"

And with that, an energy force the likes of which Solembum had never seen before, exploded inside the small shop, burning his skin and turning his bones into char. Before he died he saw Angela on fire, screaming, in pain, agony and sorrow.

…..

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Don't forget to leave a review, follow/fav! **

**Ancient Language Translations**

Eka un ono havr yawe = I and you have bond of trust

Se waise = May be

Neo wiol ono = not for you

Istalri eldrvarya unin ono. Thornessa weohnata waise anglat. = Flame burns in you. This will be death

Neo trayin= Not true


	42. A perfect storm

**Chapter 42 – A perfect storm**

Ever since the day Kayla could speak she remembered having those dreams. She could have guessed that these dreams foretold the future. Maybe they did. In them, her revels were rendered, and every act was both of the future, past and present. In these visions all were spirits, melted into air. Into thin air. And in them Kayla could see. She could see dragons and creatures, long forgotten and yet to come. She could feel herself falling, lost between the clouds but never falling low enough. Each cloud was a soft pillow but when she tried to touch them they would fall beneath her. And like the baseless fabric of this vision the clouds turned into towers, gorgeous palaces, solemn temples and the great glow of the sun itself. They were all inherited and dissolved and like this insubstantial pageant they always faded away, leaving not a wreck behind.

And every morning she awoke with little recollection of what had occurred during her sleep but with a feeling at the tips of her fingers that told her either of soft clouds or burning fire.

"Wake up, Kayla! Maud called for us" a voice told her and she snapped her eyes open quickly, once again having that tingling sensation at the end of her fingertips. She gazed at them, perplexed. Today they told her of scalding heat.

Kayla dressed quickly, not bothering to wash herself first, as she had done so at the end of the previous night, when Gwen had come to relieve her and Laer from their watch. For breakfast she grabbed a big chunk of bread and some wild berries and put them in her small pouch. She exited the human dorm building and met Laer and Adrian at the entrance of it.

Bright sun streamed between light coloured clouds and momentarily blinded her. It took her only a few moments before she got accustomed to the brightness and gazed around her, shocked.

The storm had lasted for three whole days and it had managed to snap most tall trees in half, destroy the edges of the riders' buildings and make rivers flow aplenty which in turn had caused more destruction down their path. And yet the few rays of bright sun which fell on the remaining green leaves of the trees made everything sparkle and shine after being washed by the rain's water. New plants and flowers had sprouted anew from the earth and were making their appearance, their small petals opening.

"It is rare to find beauty after the end of such grave events" Laer said, kneeling down on the ground and smelling the aroma of a plant Kayla had never seen before. One would think he was sad although with Laer it was hard to tell.

"Maud has called for us" Adrian repeated and Laer nodded following the elf along the path which led to the werecat's hut. Kayla had to run after them to catch up, something she found slightly infuriating.

At the back of her thoughts she could feel her dragon flying. Momentarily she caught a sight of what Aiedail was looking at which was the destruction of the landscape below. Most of the farms appeared to have been rendered by the storm's power.

_Eragon has asked us to help him with the reconstruction of the buildings. I shall not be joining you today_, the dragon said in the girl's mind.

Kayla nodded and continued to run down the path that the two riders ahead of her were following. Soon they reached Maud's hut.

Kayla wasn't surprised to see Adrian motioning to her and Laer to be quite, as he stealthily walked down the hill, and knocked on the werecat's door. Just before the werecat opened the door Adrian had climbed atop the hut and curled into a bowl, blending with his surroundings. Kayla knew what the elf had in mind as she had witnessed a similar behaviour from him, only a few months ago, when she had met the werecat for the very first time.

This time though something was different. Maud opened the door quickly and before Adrian had time to react she had climbed atop the roof of her hut where the elf was hiding and had attached him in two swift moves. Adrian lost his balance but quickly managed to regain it only to jump from the roof of the building onto the soft ground. Maud followed his movement and again attacked first, not bothering to give her opponent the benefit of the doubt.

"Slow" she said as she landed a blow in Adrian's chest. "What have these elves been teaching you?" she asked when Adrian didn't respond to her choreographed moves and then concluded. "Too loud"

Considering the impressive skill in battle Adrian was known for, Kayla would disagree.

Maud approached her and Laer in a quick manner while she fended off Adrian's attacks as if there were no more bother than a few flies.

The first thing Kayla noticed was that the werecat looked distraught. She could not tell this from her hair or clothes because these were always in a disarray but from her expression and the glint in her eyes. "I want you to fight amongst yourselves. Mentally and physically. The time for games is over. Something has shifted in the energy balance, surely you can feel it as intensely as I can. You need to be ready for when the enemy comes"

The riders gasped.

Adrian stopped trying to fight the werecat and instead gazed at her with an astounded expression. "What do you mean?"

Maud sighed and sat on the ground, looking irritated. "Our connections with Alagaesia have been severed. There is no way of contacting anyone there. I do not doubt this is the enemy's doing but as to what end I do not know. After the recent events and the upcoming threat, you need to be ready and as my students I cannot afford the time to train you separately."

"What about the rest of the young riders? Who will they be trained by?" Kayla asked, thinking of her brother.

Maud raised an eyebrow. "You should not worry about this, the rest of the Masters are there to teach them as they have been doing so all along. Now, let us begin… There is a lot you need to cover in the next few days"

…..

It was the third day of Maud's intense training and Kayla felt exhausted. She wasn't sure why Maud had started training them so intensely. Did the werecat know something the rest of them didn't? Kayla had had to spar with Laer and Adrian, both of them proven in swordfights, and the fights had been long and tiring with her constantly losing. Mental fights were just as draining especially when done alongside swordfights.

Of course though the training each day did not end there. The two male riders had to go ride their dragons and train more while Kayla had to spar with Maud herself which most often resulted in mental duels.

Kayla felt like her legs were dragging behind her as she made her way back to the human dorm. Above she could see the dragons flying and soon she felt Aiedail's voice in her mind.

_This is the first time my wings feel like they are made out of iron. _

_I am not sure how this will help. If the enemy attacked at any point now I would be so tired I wouldn't even be able to lift a finger,_ Kayla said, agreeing with her dragon.

_There is one thing we haven't trained for yet_, Aiedail said and Kayla felt her heart beat quickening realising what the dragon was thinking about.

She chose to ignore the comment and instead of walking she started running back to the human dorms, summoning what little of strength she had left.

_Kayla,_ Aiedail whispered in the girl's mind.

Kayla ignored her.

_Kayla!,_ the dragon repeated and Kayla saw Aiedail flying closer to her.

_What?,_ she asked, suddenly irritated and looked at the sky.

_Its time. If the enemy comes I cannot fight them unless you join me._

_No,_ Kayla simply replied and moved her blond hair out of the way. Even though spring had arrived it was still surprisingly windy.

She felt emotions of anger radiating from the dragon and suddenly she saw the creature landing on the ground in front of her. Aiedail pushed her wings on the side and fixed her with a piercing glare. Smoke was rising from her nostrils.

_Why? Why won't you ride with me? Why do you keep throwing me out of your mind? Why do you keep denying the bond that links us?,_ she demanded.

_Leave me alone! I don't owe you an explanation,_ Kayla whispered. She was particularly annoyed today since she had not been able to talk to her mother in months now. She had wanted to do so at the end of the Games but their connections to Alagaesia had been severed and her worry had only increased. It also certainly wasn't helping that she was training so intensely with Laer and Adrian.

_And yet you do!,_ the dragon said and then paused. _We visited Ramirblaka yesterday. Eragon thought it would be a good idea since he wanted to gain their trust and support of the wild dragons again after the events of last time. We raced with the wild and rider dragons. I had no rider with me and yet I am bonded to one. The wild dragons and Eragon offered me a choice. They told me that I could join them if I so wished. _

_Then, why don't you?,_ Kayla snapped at her.

The dragon let out a breath of smoke and growled. _Because I have a promise to uphold and so do you!_

As the dragon finished her sentence she dove closer to Kayla, her wings moving fast and grabbed the girl from her shoulders. Kayla screamed.

"Put me down!" she shouted, but Aiedail ignored her as they started gaining altitude.

_IF YOU DON'T PUT ME DOWN I SWEAR I WILL_…, Kayla started but the dragon cut her mid-sentence as the land soared fast past them.

_What? You will do what?,_ Aiedail asked calmly as a gust of wind blew towards Kayla's direction and the cold numbed her cheeks.

She closed her eyes and tried to hold on tightly to the dragon's talons. When she opened them again she could see the volcano beneath her and the boiling liquid inside.

Kayla screamed with all her might and closed her eyes but that didn't seem to disrupt Aiedail's flight. Annoyed, Kayla tried to concentrate on the tiny spot in her mind. She started gathering her strength to attack, mentally and physically.

While she was trying to concentrate on the task at hand and words were flowing from her lips she felt the pressure on her shoulders relaxing. With horror she realised that Aiedail was no longer holding her and she was falling.

She screamed once again as she watched the earth racing to meet her. At the last minute she saw Aiedail diving from the side and she landed on the dragon's back instead of the earth. Her landing however was not gentle and her body ached. She tried hard not to let the dark memories cloud her thinking and she punched Aiedail's scales hard but she only succeeded in injuring her hand. Annoyed she closed her eyes again and started phrasing another spell that would most definitely hurt the dragon but her concentration withered as she felt pressure in her stomach. When she opened her eyes she saw the ground coming closer and she shouted loudly.

Aiedail crushed to the earth in the most unsteady landing Kayla had ever seen her complete and the girl fell from the dragon's back, her body dragging along the rough earth and sharp rocks until she stopped, but every bit of hers felt as if it was on fire. When she tried to rise she wasn't surprised to find that she had scraped her skin in several places.

They were on an island near Dis Atilan but it was a very small island, more like a rock in the middle of the sea. There was a straight patch of earth and everything else around them was just more rocks. It would be impossible for her to climb down these without injuring herself further and it was too high for her to jump in the sea.

With dread she soon realised that she was trapped.

…

The skies were coloured in a twilight complexion as Tristan was heading back to the human dorms to get an early night after the exhausting training with Eragon and Octavian, when he heard the alarm. Vertigo, Gwen, Saturn, Laer and Onyx all looked behind them in a worried manner.

"What does the alarm mean?" Tristan quickly asked, his attention turning to where the sound was coming from.

Gwen's eyebrows were pulled together in distress. "It means someone has breached the third protective barrier"

"Third?" Tristan quickly asked, perplexed.

Gwen nodded. "There are three barriers. One which encircles most islands around here, including Ramirblaka. Then a second one which encircles only Dis Atilan and then a third one which encircles the eggs"

Before he thought twice about what he was doing Tristan was already on Vertigo's back and ready to head to where the alarm had signalled from.

"Tristan what are you doing?" Gwen said angrily.

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied to her in an almost annoyed manner. In the last few days, Gwen had decided to ignore all of his attempts to speak to her and now suddenly she was interested?

"Tristan I don't think you understand. The barrier has been breached meaning that someone has entered our periphery. It could be anyone. It could be the enemy. The riders and Eragon will deal with it" she said in a serious manner.

"So you expect me to wait here while this happens?" he replied to her quickly and went to leave again but her glare held him in place.

"Don't be stupid. We are but young riders and there are rules we have to follow in situations like these" she replied sternly.

_Actually she might have a point,_ Vertigo said thoughtful.

_Until she added the sentence about the rules_, Tristan replied smiling as he was following the same line of thought as his dragon.

_Rules are meant to be broken. _

And with that they set off, nearing the edge of the island and trying to see what the commotion was all about. Around him Tristan could see more dragons flying but since it was getting darker it was hard to tell who was who.

_Young riders, stay on the island before we give you further notice,_ Eragon's voice sounded just then in Tristan's and Vertigo's mind and it was so loud that it felt like it echoed throughout the island.

Tristan watched a few riders fly further ahead and Vertigo decided to land near the sea shore. He heard wings above him and saw Gwen and Laer landing.

"I told you to follow the rules! I am responsible for taking care of you and the young riders" the human dorm leader said angrily and Tristan raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

"I was going to follow the rules. I am. I just wanted to come closer and see what was happening" he replied and Vertigo growled in response.

Laer hmphed and shook his head. "It is a dangerous time, we should always proceed with caution…" he started but was interrupted by Vertigo who jumped in the air.

_Did you see that? There are another two dragons!,_ Vertigo shouted excited in everyone's mind.

"Where?" Gwen asked looking in the distance and squinting her eyes.

Tristan did the same but he couldn't discern much, until he slipped into Vertigo's eyesight and then he could.

There were two dragons in the distance, surrounded by five dragons, including Saphira and they were flying closer to the island. The two dragons were big, bigger than Saphira some would say and they were approaching fast. As they came into his vision Tristan noticed things he had missed before. Holes in their wings, rough red naked flesh on their scales, tired complexion, gaunt expressions…

Vertigo seemed to sense the same because his stance immediately became hostile and he stepped in front of Tristan, growling under his breath.

"No…" Gwen whispered just then and even though she had been the one to advise him against flying towards the two strange dragons and letting Eragon and the elder riders deal with it, she was already on Saturn's back and rising in the air fast.

_Where are you going?,_ Tristan tried to ask her, attempting to use his mind connection but he wasn't sure if he succeeded as Gwen didn't reply to him.

Annoyed he jumped on Vertigo's back and once again went to rise in the air but Laer pressed his hand on Vertigo's scales. The grey-blue dragon growled and went to smack Laer with his tail but the other rider raised his hand in the air and Vertigo paused, irritated.

"They are coming closer to the island. They are going to land on the shore soon. There is no need for us to go join them at the moment and too much commotion will upset the dragons" he advised looking at the two dragons.

Tristan went to disagree but then noticed the colour of the dragons' scales and let out a loud whistle.

"Mighty seven riders! This is Firnen and Thorn! Is that…? Is that Arya and Murtagh? I cannot tell…" Tristan began and just then the two dragons crushed on land with such force that they shook the sand under his feet.

Both he and Vertigo jumped back in response as the two dragons curled on the sand making no attempt to rise and breathing loudly, looking beyond exhausted. The five dragons and Saturn also landed on the shore, but did so in a steadier manner and gave Thorn and Firnen plenty of space.

Tristan, Laer, Vertigo and Onyx all run to where the dragons were. He noticed that Eragon was already there alongside two riders and they were trying to unstrap something from Thorn's back. The other two riders were tending to Firnen's and Thorn's wounds.

"No…" he heard Gwen's voice again and he turned to her direction.

There was someone strapped on Thorn's back and she was unstrapping the belts fast, her hands shaking. Tristan run to her side and helped her with the task, feeling the desperation in Gwen's movements. Just then he saw what the human dorm leader must have seen from a distance. Tristan had never met the red rider but as he looked at the complexion of his skin he could only assume that this was him. Or whatever remained of him. Wounds the likes of which Tristan had never seen before were covering the rider's body and he appeared not to be breathing.

Tristan heard someone land on the sand and he turned around to see an elf with a mane of dark, un-kept hair and a set of fierce, glowing, forest, green eyes.

"Arya…" Eragon whispered and went to her side, holding her by her waist. The elf was unsteady on her feet and they trembled beneath her. She had several wounds and cuts along her body with the deepest one on her shoulder and fresh blood was gushing from it.

The Dragon Rider Leader whispered some words under his breath and her wound was healed but the look of desperation did not leave Arya's expression.

"The shadow wyrms attacked Alagaesia. All the other riders are dead. They are looking for Angela. We need your help. We need your help, Eragon" she whispered before she fell to the ground.

…..

Elva was in a tavern in Teirm, her face hidden beneath a dark hood. Every so often she would look around, wishing that the next person who walked in the tavern would not be about to face a horrific death but that didn't stop the visions from coming and the uncontrollable need to place herself between them and the threats. Her nails were digging into the hard wood of the table, splinters covering her palm.

Two strangers walked in, laughing and playfully punching each other on the shoulders no doubt unaware of their soon to be fate. Elva swallowed as she watched their entrails being torn away from their bodies, sharp teeth and nails clawing the surface of their skin until nothing else but bones and ashes remained. The image quickly cleared away and she was left with a feeling of nausea. She puked in the bowl of uneaten food she had in front of her and pushed it to the side raising her finger and calmly asking for another one from the butch woman who worked behind the counter.

"You are her… You are the one who sees the fates of people…" a voice whispered near her and Elva quickly turned around, trying to hide her face deeper inside her hood but a strong hairy hand held her wrist.

Angrily she turned to face the man who had had done so and glared at him. The bearded man released her hand and took a few steps back. A new image appeared at the edges of her vision and Elva had to swallow back bile.

The bearded man's courage seemed to come forth anew and he went to take a sit opposite her.

Elva sighed and moved her finger from side to side. "I wouldn't do that if I were you" she warned but the man only raised an eyebrow and sat on the chair anyways.

A ginger cat walked near the man, its tail swinging from side to side and the butch woman who was carrying the hot soup to Elva's table got her feet tangled between the cat's tail, slipping and throwing the boiling soup on the bearded man while she crumbled to the wooden floor.

The butch woman cursed while the bearded man shot up and started dancing around like an enchanted troll as the boiling soup was scalding his skin. Elva watched calmly, picking up the second almost empty bowl of soup and placing it in front of her. She took a few seeps of it before she saw the bearded man walking back to his previous spot.

"You owe me a soup. Actually make it two because I feel especially hungry today" she said and the bearded man glared at her and ordered her two bowls of soup from the butch woman behind the counted who only glared at him and nodded.

Again the bearded man sat opposite her.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. My time is valuable and if you waste it or don't repay me for it I will turn you into a frog. Or a toad. Because despite what people think they are an entirely different species" she said calmly and the other man raised an eyebrow as if confused but nodded nevertheless.

"I have information. And money. I will give it to you but I need to know my future" he told her in a serious, desperate manner.

Elva hmphed and pulled the hood of her cape even lower, covering the top part of her black-purple eyes and forehead with the Gedwey Ignasia symbol. "Many have asked to know their future. Most have regretted doing so"

The man pressed his lips together. "You don't understand! My wife is pregnant! The midwife said that from the shape of her belly she is going to have…"

"A girl?" Elva asked and licked her spoon.

The other man nodded. "Yes. She said we are going to have a girl. And I need to know whether to stay in the city or go back to my wife's parents house so that the child can be raised in peace… I need to know! Please tell me!" he begged, tears almost running down his face.

Elva picked a piece of meat and slowly chewed it, savouring the flavour for a moment before she threw up again. "The future is not set in stone. Each decision we make will lead us down a certain path and there are so many paths! Some are clearer than others. Some approach sooner than others. The midwife was wrong"

The man's eyebrows pulled together. "Whatever do you mean?"

"You are not going to have a girl. Your wife will give birth to a boy, and she will die in the process of doing so, wishing her husband was by her side"

"Where will I be?"

Elva took another bite of the meat and swallowed. "Dead. Alongside everyone else in the city"

"Why?" he asked again and a tremor shook his body.

"The shadow wyrms are coming here tonight. They will attack this city and burn it to the ground along with everyone inside it. But because I have now told you this you will tell your wife to go away from this city and you will try to accompany her. But a band of thieves will stop you mid-ways and they will take everything you own. You will try to protect your wife but you will not manage. They will hurt her in every way imaginable and you will have to stay there watching until they kill you. Your wife will give birth to a boy and she will die in the process of doing so, wishing her husband was by her side"

The bearded man in front of her was crying. "What will happen to the boy?"

Elva chocked for a second before she made another attempt to swallow her food properly. "He will be eaten by wolves most likely. And if not, he will die from the cold. And if not he will be taken by the band of thieves and they will raise him as a slave, making him do their bidding. He might attempt to escape but if they catch him they will murder him. If not he will be left stranded in the woods. Further ahead I cannot see"

The man in front of her was chocking and crying, sounding like a wounded animal. "Why did you tell me this? Is there no way I can prevent it? What if I stay in the city?"

"I told you because you asked. If you stay in the city you will die alongside everyone else tonight"

"Have you warned the guards about the upcoming attack?" the man quickly asked, a spark of hope in his eyes.

Elva raised her eyebrows. "I always do but they rarely listen. This time they surprisingly did but the city is not prepared for an attack. Now… You said you had some information for me?"

The man still appeared to be deep in shock but he nodded nevertheless and motioned for her to follow him.

Elva tossed a coin to the butch woman behind the counter and pulled her hood even lower down her face. She was stopped by many on her way out but the glare she shot them alongside the desperation in the man's expression in front of her pushed them away.

The man led her down a familiar path and stopped in front of what used to be Angela's shop. Elva felt a lump forming in her throat, cursing under her breath the herbalist and her foolishness.

"None have entered this shop thus far. They all say it is haunted. The attack happened only a week ago "he said in a defeated tone of voice.

"I could have come to this place myself and found as much. There must be more to tell…" Elva asked and run her fingertips down the wall of the building, feeling almost hesitant to enter.

"It was on the night of the storm. People said they heard screams"

"And what did _you_ hear? You were here during the attack weren't you?"

The man shivered again. "My wife was having pains. I came to ask for a remedy. There was a hooded figure outside. It managed to shut down the doors and the windows of the shop. I heard voices and whispers but they were of another language. Not the language of the elves. I do not know their exact language but I could tell that this language was different. Then I heard screams and then nothing… The hooded figure walked out of the shop. It looked slightly irritated. It was empty handed. It looked at me just then and it smiled. It knew I had been watching. I waited thinking of the worst but the creature just looked at me again and then disappeared into thin air…"

Elva pressed her palm on the wooden door of the shop feeling the pulse of dark energy and then pushed it open. The door cracked under the force of her palm and she walked inside silently.

The place she had grown up was now in pieces, every object she had played with as a child broken or damaged beyond repair. Books lay on the floor, their pages stuck together and still wet on the corner. A fool smell clung into the air and she pressed her palm over her nose. She walked deeper inside the shop and soon she found the source of the smell.

A cry escaped her lips and she crumbled to her knees and gently caressed the soft fur of the werecat in front of her. "Bum… Bumbum"

Elva swallowed and cursed once again the herbalist for shooing her away and casting a protective spell which stopped her from seeing any impending dangers on Angela's way. If she hadn't done so Elva would have been able to know. She would have been here. She would have prevented it.

The bearded man walked closer to her and she turned angrily to his direction. "If the shadow wyrms are attacking tonight how will you be able to survive? How will you be able to escape?"

"I will not escape. I will be here during all of it. The shadow wyrms will not attack me though. Their leader wants me to deliver a message" she said and pressed her lips tightly together, cursing under her breath again. "Where is the herbalist?"

The man raised his eyebrows. "Is she not here?"

Elva got up from the ground and motioned around her. "Do you see something I don't?"

The other man looked bewildered. "I don't understand. She should be here… She should be… "

A thunder echoed in the distance and both looked outside. A few rain drops started falling.

"Go to your family. You have given me the information I needed. This is your last night with them and the storm is coming again" Elva advised.

Then she sat on the ground again next to the werecat and caressed his soft fur, gently singing songs she had heard her caretaker tell her when she had been an infant.

"_The world is smaller  
Seconds are longer  
Embraces reach farther  
Hands hold harder  
Eyes are bigger  
Clearer we see_

_That this is how we find out what we´re made of  
The hero in your heart  
Can never leave your side_

_The hero in your heart  
Can never leave your side  
Locked within right until that moment you give up  
The hero in your heart_

_Now this is where you find out what you´re made of  
The hero in your heart will never leave your side  
Locked within right until that moment you give up  
The hero in your heart never leaves your side_

_I bet you didn´t know  
The hero in your heart  
Has strength beyond the known  
And never leaves your side  
You´re the hero in your heart"_

**A/C: Thanks to everyone for your reviews on the previous two chapters, especially to Howtobook101, Hi7807, BEST OC Maker, Restrained. Freedom ConorMcK96, Thisnamesucks, and Eagleclaw25.**

**I wasn't able to reply to everyone since at the moment I have lots of work to do and updates might come less often (its been almost 5 weeks since I last posted a chapter). I do intend to finish this story soon, since I already have a general outline planned. **

**Credits for the lyrics of the last song in this chapter go to Thomas Bergersen (Feat. Merethe Soltvedt) singing:"The Hero In Your Heart" if anyone is interested. Next chapter will be called: A dream of winter. **

**Finally I am thinking of having a beta for this story since I would like someone else to reread a chapter and correct any grammar/spelling mistakes I might make although I am not exactly sure how to do that. If anyone has been a beta before or has had a beta and is interested please pm. **


	43. A dream of winter

**Chapter 43 – A dream of winter**

**A/C: Many thanks go to my Beta, BEST OC MAKER, for reading through this chapter and making some changes. Hope you enjoy!**

Kayla turned around to face Aiedail, who appeared to be in perfect condition after their landing. Angry smoke was rising from the dragon's nostrils and Kayla took in a breath of air as both terror and fury clouded her thoughts.

It had been a long time since she had faced a dragon.

The dragon roared at her in a dangerous manner and walked forward towards her direction.

Kayla took a step back.

_What do you want from me? Why won't you leave me alone?_ She shouted in the dragon's head with all her power and she saw Aiedail momentarily closing her eyes in pain.

_You know full well why. Why won't you accept me? Why won't you accept our bond!?_

_'Leave me alone! Just let me go!'_

_No. I have left you alone for far too long. I won't leave you until you answer my question. I have a right to know,_ The dragon said and walked closer, while Kayla took further steps back.

She could feel Aiedail trying to drill into her mind and break her boundaries. It was something the dragon had never done before and it was painful. Instinctively she put her hands around her head and tried to build higher walls around her mind.

Without realizing exactly what she was doing she did something that felt almost natural to her, Kayla let out a blast of energy from her right hand but Aiedail dodged it just in time. The Gedwey Ignasia symbol glowed in her palm, exactly as it had done when she had faced the dragon for the first time. Aiedail narrowed her eyes at her.

_Is this how you want to do this? Fight me then!_ The dragon demanded and let out such a loud roar that Kayla was certain the riders in Dis Atilan must have heard it.

Aiedail's lips curled upwards to reveal a set of razor sharp teeth. Kayla's right palm tingled and glowed brighter. She had only used a small part of energy when she had attacked Aiedail. There was still plenty of magic left to defend herself and cause serious injuries to the deadly creature across her, even after the exhaustive training with Maud. If Aiedail wanted a fight she was going to give her one.

"Remember you chose this," Kayla said as she felt the air around her charging with power. Her hair flowed around her and she felt powerful, so powerful. Every part of her existence came to life and the energy that usually resided only in her mind now flowed freely in her veins.

_You made me!_ Aiedail screamed and jumped in the air, rushing to her direction. The dragon swung her purple long tail to her direction and Kayla dodged her attack, falling on the ground. She winced as the earth scraped her skin and then faced the dragon again.

Kayla whispered words in the ancient language that made the earth tremble and a pillar rose to Aideail's direction. The sharp edge scratched the dragon's wing and Aiedail screamed in pain. She quickly flew upwards and Kayla smiled in pleasure.

But then the dragon turned around and started descending again. Determination was evident in Aiedail's eyes as she opened her jaws to release a jet of flames. Kayla screamed and tried to run away.

She was certain that the flames would consume her but at the last minute she whispered some words and the air around her formed a barrier and a shield from the flames. Her knees trembled from the energy use and Aiedail snorted. The dragon flew towards her direction and attacked her from above again.

_"Risa!"_ Kayla screamed and a giant rock flew to Aiedail's direction and hit her on the shoulder, the dragon crumbled to the earth, roaring, and Kayla let out a breath of air. Her body felt weak.

"I told you, leave me alone!" She screamed annoyed but the dragon simply looked at her, the hate evident in her gaze.

Aiedail breathed deep, smoke rising from her nostrils. Kayla pressed her lips together, preparing herself for another attack and soon another jet of flames rushed to her direction.

Instead of running away or creating a shield around herself Kayla responded with her own jet of energy. A current of blue-silver energy rushed from her fingertips and met Aiedail's flames before they reached her, Kayla tried to control the energy flow as the jet of flames appeared to be increasing instead of decreasing. She could feel the heat from the fire and sweat was running down her forehead shoulders.

Cold shivers were also rushing through her but she kept her hold on the magic and the flames started decreasing, her blue-silver energy gaining an advantage and descending towards Aiedail. The dragon looked irritated and tried to blow more fire again but she seemed to be just as exhausted as the human.

Fire and blue-silver energy were battling each other, each trying to overcome the other.

_Kayla, stop! You are going to kill yourself if you continue!_ Aiedail screamed into her mind as she tried to break the girl's concentration.

"So will you," Kayla whispered, feeling once again the flame biting her skin and she saw Aiedail screaming in pain as the gusts of energy were tightening around her body.

She did not know who was the first to give up was but suddenly Kayla found herself on the ground, feeling both her own and her dragon's pain. Tears were running down her eyes and she was trembling.

Aiedail was in no better shape as she had a huge gash across her lower body and breathing appeared to be an impossible feat for her. She too, was growling in pain.

Kayla tightened her fists, fresh salty tears running down her face until her eyes turned dry and her throat croaked. The sand felt so painful against her body's open wounds. That's why she was surprised when she felt someone else's skin against her own. She briefly opened her eyes to see Aiedail's silvery purple wing. She tried to retreat but a simple thought from the dragon made her realize that Aiedail no longer posed a threat or wished to continue fighting.

_That's why I chose you…_ The dragon whispered in her mind but her voice felt weak, strained.

_You are different than the others, you have always been different. You are strong, so strong but you rarely make good use of it, few have been able to stand against a dragon and have lived to tell the tale. I may have lost but I am proud to have lost against you,_ She said and the dragon's voice withered. Kayla felt the creature's consciousness slipping away from her mind and the girl tried to keep a strong hold to it.

_Aiedail… Are you… Are you…? What is happening?,_ Kayla asked, alarmed.

The dragon let out a croaking noise.

_Is that not what you wanted? To be left alone? Your wish has come true, you will be free to roam the earth without me, I assure you,_ the dragon said again and the spark inside Kayla's mind withered.

_No! Don't you dare die!,_ Kayla screamed annoyed and tried to move.

_Why? Do you care of what becomes of me?,_the dragon said in melancholy.

_Of course I do!,_ Kayla repeated.

_Strange. You have never seemed to, before,_ The dragon added and the light of her consciousness flickered again.

_Aiedail!_ Kayla screamed but this time the dragon did not reply. Kayla opened her eyes and realized that the dragon was still.

"No," she simply said.

"Don't you dare abandon me!" She shouted but there was no reply. A pain like no other ripped her heart and Kayla started whispering all the spells she knew of healing, directing what small parts of energy she still had left towards her dragon.

"Aiedail,"Kayla whispered and felt tears running down her eyes. The Gedwey Ignasia symbol was glowing on her palm again. The dragon's injuries were too great and her energy was not enough. There was a spell she remembered, something about tiny particles…

Her consciousness withered and she tried to concentrate.

_The small particles,_ She repeated to herself and then the world started slipping away from her fingers.

…

Eragon silently watched his half-brother sleeping. Before he had visited Arya as well but her sleep had been a peaceful one brought by exhaustion while Murtagh was writhing on his bed, screaming in pain every so often.

It was disheartening to watch smoke rising from his flesh with no visible cause, burning it away to shreds and knowing there was nothing he could do to change it. Healing someone was never an easy task but with enough energy, most all injuries could be healed. The only injury Eragon had faced in his lifetime which could not be healed was the one delivered to him by the Shade, Durza, during the Uprising against Galbatorix.

"It is the dark magic that runs through his veins… It is so twisted and malformed that when I try to gaze into its inner workings I am left with excruciating pain," Idel said, gently rubbing her chin.

"Pain is pain, however, and I have attempted to withstand it, but… What makes matters worse is the darkness that clouds the vision and thoughts. Trying to figure out the way this magic operates becomes a maze, a puzzle. Every time you think you have figured it out, the darkness only sucks you further in until..." Idel stopped there, shivered and looked at the ground.

Eragon did not need any more information to assess the situation. He had attempted to look into Murtagh's wounds as well but with no success.

Maud was administering a white-silver paste atop his half-brother's wounds, her face tired and pale, paler than usual. Yet she continued this work with a determination that Eragon admired.

"Most creatures think that magic can only be beaten by magic but, we, werecats have reason to believe otherwise, there are other forces that determine what we are and what we are made out of. These plants may cure him or they may not. Whatever the case they are certain to relieve his suffering," She said and upon finishing she handed the small wooden bowl with the paste to Gwen who took it with trembling hands.

"Administer it on his wounds every two hours," The WereCat advised Gwen upon exiting the Eomhill building.

Eomhill was located in Glieonard, as most other buildings like the Grand Hall, the Library and the tall towers which housed the dragons riders. It took its name from the Ancient Language word _"To Heal"._ It had big, wide windows which overlooked the forest and a constant gentle breeze entered through them.

Idel was the second person to exit Murtagh's chamber, casting one last look at the red rider's body with a mixture of feelings elves rarely displayed. Soon the only ones who remained in the room were him, Gwen and the human rider, Tristan. Even though Eragon had required little help to carry his half-brother's body to Eomhill, the two riders had insisted on accompanying him.

The reason behind Tristan's choice was most probably his affection for Gwen or an admiration he may have harbored for the red rider. Gwen's reasoning was far less complicated. Murtagh was her father, plain and simple.

"Gwen you should rest, I will wake you when it's time to administer the paste," Tristan said to Gwen but the girl shook her head.

It was at this point that Eragon realized his brother was in good hands and that his presence may no longer have been required. He still wished to have one last conversation with his brother and laugh like they used to during their travels to Farthen Dur, before the responsibility of their roles had dawned on them. It was better, however, to let the rider rest and allow the paste to have an effect, whatever that may be.

He slipped by the two young riders easily, his footsteps more quiet than a cat's. Eragon could still hear their voices though. He heard Gwen admitting for the first time out loud that Murtagh was her father and that she had spent her whole life away from her parents in their attempt to protect her.

That even though they were her parents she had known very little about them, as she had been raised by a fishmonger. In this aspect her upbringing had not been any different from Eragon's. He as well had been raised by someone other than his own parents, knowing close to nothing about them.

Eragon remembered Gwen as a young girl when she had first arrived to Dis Atilan with her baby dragon in her arms. Gwen had known then that Murtagh had been her father as he had been the one to escort her to the island but for whatever reasons he had not wished to stay.

Eragon and Murtagh had exchanged little that day, other than a mental conversation explaining the situation to Eragon and asking him to protect the girl no matter the cost. This Eragon had sworn to do and since then he had not seen his brother in person again.

Conflicted by his many emotions Eragon sought solace in Saphira, who was waiting for him at the entrance doors of Eomhill. They said little that night. They both knew that war was coming, one way or another and that the losses of friends and family were only the beginning.

….

The first thing she heard was the crushing sound of waves.

The first thing she smelt was that of salty air and blood.

The first thing she felt was heat.

The first thing she saw was blackness.

The first thing she touched was rough scales.

_Aiedail?_ She asked, probing both with her mind and fingers.

For a moment there was silence and then she felt the presence of another consciousness in her mind.

_I am… Here_

"You're alive!" Kayla screamed in delight and tried to move but it was hard.

_Yes. You healed me._

There was another long pause as Kayla tried to move but every time she did so, she discovered another part of her body which was injured.

_Why?_

The question came from the dragon and Kayla stopped what she was doing to stare at the dragon in surprised.

_Because I had to. I couldn't let you die._

_You risked your own life in doing so. It was foolish. I thought you would have liked being alone_

_Yes. But not like this._

_But you don't like me. You despise me with every ounce of your being._

'I…,' Kayla started and then paused. 'It is not you I despise.'

The silver-purple wing that was covering her unfolded to reveal two giant, perplexed, violet eyes.

_Then who?_

'I…,' Kayla begun again and the memories of cold and snow came back to her.

_Blood. Crunch. Bones. Tasty humans._

Kayla shook her head.

'It's too painful,' She whispered to the dragon.

Aiedail's expression was gentle and understanding.

_Please tell me. I need to understand how I can help you._

Did she trust the dragon? Could she… Could she possibly allow access to Aiedail even when she had managed to keep the memory hidden from both Eragon and Stoic?

It was a memory she had not shared with anyone else before. Maybe because this memory was so deep inside her that not even she could access it easily.

She looked at Aiedail, a proud, strong, fierce dragon who would do anything to protect her. It was obvious from the very beginning that the she-dragon would cause her no harm but it had taken her long to accept it.

With a sigh, she opened her mind and hoped she would not regret it. Aiedail was gentle, gentler than either Eragon or Stoic had been. Her touch did not feel uncomfortable.

Kayla swallowed hard, as the memory rose to the surface.

…

It was a cold winter night and the wind howled outside the window like wolves on a full moon. Her father had just exited the house and she run to her room, put a pillow under her blankets and slipped outside, out the window of her room. Silently she walked close to her father's mare and saw the big pouches he carried on the sides. Kayla was five years old, but very short for her age and thin as a stick as her mother likes to complain, so she easily managed to get inside, throwing some of her father's arrows on the side.

The mare mewed but her father didn't pay attention as the wind was too strong for him to hear. Kayla breathed silently and heard her father riding the horse. He started galloping towards the forest and thick snowflakes managed to slip inside the pouch, under her clothes and chill her to the bone but she kept thinking about the beautiful blue flowers that grew only when it snowed.

As the mare was galloping faster and faster she could feel the pouch jump up and down on the horse's sides and she winced at the contact. She had not heard her father's friends join them and she soon realized that her father had lied, probably so that her mother would not worry.

After a while, she felt her father reducing the pace and she leaned her head outside of the pouch to look for her blue flowers. She knew her father would be angry when he saw her but she was sure it would be resolved once they got back home, cooked the deer on top of the fire and she could make her flower necklaces. As they walked past some tall trees and hills she had not seen before, Kayla noticed there, on the side of a frozen lake, the blue flowers.

"Flowers!" She said in her small voice and slipped outside of the pouch, landing clumsily on the snow. She heard the horse come to a halt but she was already picking the plants out of the frozen earth.

"Kayla, what are you doing here? You should not have come, it's dangerous!" Her father bellowed, his towering figure looking deadly serious and slightly scared.

"But… Pretty flowers" she said in an even smaller voice than before. Her father angrily shook his head and cursed as the snowflakes landed on his beard.

"I cannot hunt now, not when having you with me, we are going to starve because of you!" Her father accused her in a harsh tone but just then Kayla heard a loud noise and turned around to see the frozen lake breaking into small pieces.

She took a few steps back, her father next to her, holding her by the shoulders.

"Stay back" He whispered to her and took an arrow out of its sheath. Kayla watched carefully as her father took further steps back, with her at his side in order to reach the mare.

A loud cracking noise sounded again and from the middle of the frozen lake Kayla could see something white emerging. She wanted to scream but her father put his large palm over her mouth and only a muffled sound came out.

She watched horrified as a large white head appeared from the lake, the size of 50 or more horses put together in size. Kayla could also see long, sharp, white teeth protruding from the creature's lips. A long, long neck started emerging from the lake and she felt her father's hand pushing her on top of the mare. His right leg was on the saddle, his left still on the snowy ground when they noticed the creature's eyes falling on them.

Kayla saw gigantic red eyes staring at her direction and once again she wanted to scream but instead she felt frozen in place, as if someone had made her limps his own and she was but the puppet and he, the puppet master.

_Hunger. Bones. Blood. Crunch. Food. Humans…. Humans?_

_Humans…._

Kayla could hear a voice in her head loudly but she could see no one talking and the voice was frightening, something that should only exist in children's nightmares and not in real life.

_Come here, tasty humans…._

"Kayla…" Her father gasped as if struggling to talk but not managing very well. He as well seemed to be frozen into place and she tried to turn and look at him but she noticed from the corner of her eye the white creature moving fast towards their direction.

Thoughts of blood, hunger, killing, maiming penetrated her mind and she wanted to shriek in horror but she could not, her lips were frozen.

_Little human girl….,_The creature said in an amused and creepy tone as if there was an inside joke.

"Run, Kayla! Run!" Her father suddenly shouted as if he had momentarily broken the spell and smacked the mare hard on its buttocks. With no further due the horse started galloping fast, away from the danger.

"Father, no!" Kayla screamed and tried to go back but the mare was running too fast, too scared of the impending danger. Kayla's head turned around to look at her father's towering figure which, compared to the creature looked like a fire match. Horrified, she watched the creature raising one of its legs and taking a single blow, which was enough, however, to shred her father into pieces. Blood, guts, skin and hair sprawled on the snowy ground, painting it red like a disturbed picture. She heard the creature speak into her mind again and she closed her eyes, willing it to go away but with no luck.

_'Come out, come out, little girl,'_

_'You think I won't find you in the petrifying dark'_

_'Be careful that your feet aren't sticking out'_

_'Better not to risk another shout'_

_'Don't breathe, don't move, stay quiet'_

_'Hope in your blindness that I am moving further'_

_'You must be thinking that you are very clever'_

_'More puzzled you think I get, as I search in the hay'_

_'It seems a long time since they went away'_

_'Your legs are stiff, the cold bites through your coat'_

_'The dark damp smell of dirt moves in your throat'_

_'Come out, come out, wherever you are'_

_'You think you have won but nothing stirs'_

_'The bushes hold their breath, the sun is lost'_

_'Yes you are here, but your loved ones are gone'_

The creature ended with an almost sadistic laugh into her mind and Kayla wanted to scream, her eyes filled with tears. She was getting further away, she knew, almost reaching the end of the Spine Mountains but she could still see its form and hear its silent trail of words although not as clearly as before. Large, white wings protruded from its sides and she saw it rising to the skies, flying as high as she could see.

The horse kept running, faster and faster and Kayla could no longer see the creature. She had just about reached her house when she heard its voice in her mind again.

_Come out, come out, wherever you are,_ the dragon said and another sadistic laugh echoed in her consciousness.

…

**A/C: Many thanks to BEST OC MAKER and DerbDcat for your reviews! Next chapter should be posted again in 2 weeks. Also was this chapter easier to read through with the editing? **


	44. The Drums of War

**The drums of War.**

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Its been more than 3 weeks since I last posted a chapter but I have been very preoccupied with work. To celebrate reaching more than 100 followers this chapter is extra long (6000 words) and there is a scene towards the end that could be a bit on the M side. Many thanks to my Beta, Best OC Maker, for reading through the chapter. Enjoy!**

When the memory came to an end Aiedail's emotions overcame hers. There was anger, sorrow and a fierce need to protect. Kayla was so surprised by the dragon's reaction that she didn't have time to contemplate her own feelings.

_Why did you not tell anyone about this?,_ Aiedail demanded.

Kayla swallowed. _I could not. It was something I wished to forget and somehow my consciousness did exactly this and kept the memory hidden even from myself. If I tried to recall it, like now, it could rise to the surface but why would I when the only thing that it would bring me would be pain?_

_You need to tell Eragon._

Kayla shook her head.

_It has been at least ten years since the creature attacked me. I don't know where it might be …_

_But the fact that it exists might help them solve the mystery of the attacks, don't you think?_

_I… _

_We need to go to Eragon,_ Aiedail advised again and this time Kayla nodded, dreading opening herself again to the Dragon Rider Leader.

Almost mechanically she climbed atop her dragon's back and then paused realising what she had done.

Aiedail's breath came out quieter this time as if afraid to make any sudden movements and Kayla smiled_. Be gentle with me this time will you? Will you be strong enough to take us both back?_

The dragon snorted and uttered two words to answer both of her questions. _Of course._

Slowly they gained altitude and the wind started brushing Kayla's cheeks. Below her the dark blue sea was glowing from the light of the stars and above her white, fluffy clouds welcomed her. Reading her thoughts, the dragon went higher until Kayla could touch the clouds as she had dreamed of doing countless times before. But instead of them being fluffy and soft as she had imagined the clouds dissolved between her fingers like mist.

_Strange how our expectations can be so different from reality,_ she whispered into the dragon's mind and Aiedail agreed. Even though Kayla was wearing a pair of leather pants she could already feel the rough scales as they rubbed against the insides of her legs making them bleed.

Aiedail gained further altitude until only bright stars were visible and Kayla could barely breathe, not only due to the lack of air. The night sky was dotted with beautiful, sparkling pearls. Each of them told her of a different story.

_What if the stars could speak? What would they tell us then? What would they advise us to do?,_ Kayla wondered and just then she watched one of the stars descending, flashing bright for a few seconds before it disappeared.

_If the legends are to be believed then the stars are entities themselves… Though I very much doubt it since even the elves don't possess a skill like that. Laer's story was a story passed down to generations and races with some truth in it, indeed, but it is unlikely that those exact events occurred_, Aiedail said, climbing atop a wind's rift and gliding gently through the night sky.

Soon, the smoke rising from the volcano of Dis Atilan became visible and Kayla tightened her fists knowing full well that it was time to tell Eragon the truth.

Aiedail landed gently on the rough stone ground of Glieonard and without further due Kayla made her way into Firijan, the tower in which Eragon and Saphira resided. Each tower could house more than five mature dragons and riders but at the moment Firijan only housed the Dragon Rider Leader and his dragon. There were two ways of entering a dragon tower and that was either by walking and taking the stairs up to the inhabitant's chambers or landing atop dragon back at the highest room. There were spells or protection in place surrounding the whole tower, however, so if one wished to enter they had to go through the first barrier which would instantly alert the inhabitant and it would then be up to him to allow entrance. The same spells were present amongst most other buildings in Dis Atilan with the exception that the inhabitants of each of the buildings had to design the spells themselves, therefore each spell differed in intensity and ease of breaking.

Kayla could have tried her luck at breaking the spell that was surrounding Eragon's chambers but she did not doubt that it would be a hard feat and as Aiedail instructed it was not good custom to barge uninvited. Instead she walked to the tower's entrance and did what was humanly natural.

She knocked.

The sound echoed through the tower's base but she got no reply. Perplexed she also noticed there was no spell present to restrict her entry. Curious, she went to pull the handle of the door…

_Child! What are you doing here at such an hour?,_ a voice snarled in her head. _Two of the barriers were broken upon your entry in Dis Atilan which begs the question as to your whereabouts._

Kayla turned around and saw the familiar feline shape of Maud. Two unblinking eyes stared at her.

_It is … complicated but it does not matter now. I need to see Eragon,_ Kayla answered and Aiedail next to her flexed her wings.

Maud's tail twitched. _Oh, child. Oh, sweet innocent child. You do not yet know of the grave news._

Kayla brows pulled together. _Whatever do you mean? _

The cat shook her head and turned around, walking away from her. _Come, I will take you to the Dragon Rider Leader. Maybe he will explain. _

Maud took her to Eomhill's entrance and Kayla had to pause. _There was an attack wasn't there?_

The cat nodded. _Yes. In Alagaesia. The shadow wyrms burned Bull Ridge to the ground after the end of the Games. There is reason to think that there have been more attacks but scrying at the moment seems to be an impossible feat. _

Kayla felt her heart beat quicken and felt Aideail trying to comfort her. She run to the infirmary and looked around her imagining to see the worse but her senses told her that only two rooms were occupied. She felt her brother's presence but after quickly skimming through his thoughts she exhaled realising he was not the one who was hurt. Gwen was with him but there was another rider, one she had not seen before.

His injuries were grave and the dark energy seeping from his wounds and reaching the lower floor made her want to rub her hands over her body to seek warmth.

_Eragon can wait_, Kayla told her dragon as she run to one of the empty rooms in Eomhill.

_Kayla this might not be the best idea_…, Aiedail advised but the girl quickly shook that thought off.

_I need to know_, she said as she pressed her fingers around the mirror that was placed on the wall across her and took it down.

"Dramr Kopa" Kayla said in a low tone of voice and watched the edges of the mirror changing, almost becoming fluid but not. She watched familiar landscapes unfolding but concentrated on her mother's face. This time a running river near Arhan village appeared, its waters shining in an emerald light. Kayla expected to see a face or a human face but none of the two appeared. Annoyed, she tried again concentrating on familiar faces from her village, the butcher, the librarian she helped and the smith Tristan had worked for.

She had better luck with this but saw none of the familiar surroundings she was used to. Two of Arhan's citizens, the smith and the librarian were sleeping in a big Hall she had not seen before while the smith seemed to be elsewhere all together, dirt all around him suggesting he had been dead for quite some time.

Kayla cringed and stepped back from the mirror only to return to it again.

_The villagers seem to have abandoned Arhan village. This does not mean your mother is dead,_ Aiedail said gently.

Kayla nodded but again concentrated on the shapes and angles of her mother's face, her smile… This time she did get an image, of a female figure lying on a bed but it was so distorted it made little sense. Something inside her told her that her mother was alive but…

She swallowed in panic and took the next steps two at a time, passing the chamber in which her brother resided quickly. Kayla could feel Eragon's presence in the upper room. As before when she tried to enter the room there seemed to be a barrier. It did not only prohibit her from entering but also from witnessing whatever was occurring in the room at the moment.

Kayla knocked but again no one answered. She knew Eragon was inside, however, so why was he not answering?

"_Thverr stenr un atra eka hórna!" _she whispered annoyed.

This was a spell she had never tried before but remembered reading about it in one of the books of the Library. For a moment nothing happened. Then, all of a sudden there seemed to be silence. When she put her ear against the wall the voices of Eragon and someone else became audible.

"This is war Eragon you said it yourself before and we need your help!" a female voice said, one that had an elven ring to it.

"Arya I cannot. What you ask of me is impossible. You are asking me to risk the lives of my students, students who have not yet been trained properly to face a danger that you and the other riders were not able to extinguish"

"There are riders here… Riders that have ridden a dragon for more than ten years and should be capable enough of facing this threat"

"Unlikely. I have made many mistakes over the years but I know this… The Eldunari are afraid of the danger. Their answers are sparse but to this they seem to agree. I should send no more help to Alagaesia and I should stay in Dis Atilan protecting the young riders"

"Eragon!" the elven voice intersected in what appeared to be disbelief. "What will Alagaesia do without your help?! Do you not care for family, friends, the people?"

"Lives are going to be lost, one way or another. If you think I no longer care for my friends, my family… You are gravely mistaken. Murtagh is about to die, Roran is probably dead and you, one of the strongest elves I know of, were unable to stand against this threat. Who am I to think I can make a difference? Who am I to risk the lives of my students, the ones who their parents put in my care…"

"The same parents who are probably dead. Alagaesia will crumble if you do not offer your help, this much you must know. If you think for one second that by staying here you will be safe…" the elven voice continued and then paused. "Unless you do"

Kayla had heard enough. Aiedail's anger was burning inside her as fiercely as her own and she saw the dragon flying and releasing small jets of flames just as Kayla broke the spell that prohibited her from entering. It wasn't a hard spell and Kayla had to wonder why Eragon had even gone through the effort of placing one.

"How can you stand by as the people in Alagaesia suffer one attack after the other?! I thought you were going to change this land and protect the people?! That's what made you think you were better than Galbatorix and that you should not join his cause. What you do instead is sit in your iron island, miles away from the events in Alagaesia in preparation of the next generation of young riders. You are no better than him" Kayla shouted at the Dragon Rider Leader and Eragon flinched.

She saw the blue outline of Saphira as she prepared to stand before her rider but Aiedail was already moving fast preparing to strike as well and she wasn't alone as a large green dragon she hadn't seen before was also flying outside.

It was the elven rider with the dark hair, fair skin and forest-green eyes that made the first move and stood between Kayla and Eragon.

"The elves abandoned the people in Alagaesia once before. We shall not make this mistake again. Nevertheless I do not wish to fight against you, Eragon. It is your choice as it is mine but the true enemy is out there"

Even though Kayla desperately wanted to put some sense into the Dragon Leader's mind she had to agree with the elf. She stared in anger at the male rider's face one more time before she exited his room alongside the elven rider.

…..

Dusk had arrived and Arya was preparing, tightening the straps across Firnen and breathing calmly trying, but failing, to forget what had occurred between her and Eragon.

She had attempted speaking to the Eldunari as well but surprisingly they had stayed silent, offering very little advice. Nevertheless Eragon's decision seemed unreasonable. It was unlike him to act in such a manner. They had faced Galbatorix and his army and had prevailed, so why was Eragon so eager to abandon the land in which he had grown up in?

There was only one explanation, one Arya could barely think off.

_Saphira… She appears to be conflicted. She will not abandon her rider, however,_ Firnen said thoughtful.

_Was there anything else you discussed?,_ Arya asked her dragon but he shook his head gently.

_Nothing else. _

Arya nodded and took a few steps backwards. She looked at the skies and saw the dark clouds gathering once again. The storm was coming back and it would not be wise to fly in this weather but staying in Dis Atilan in the presence of Eragon was something she was not sure she could handle.

The sounds of wings became audible in the distance and both Arya and Firnen turned to that direction. An array of coloured wings and set stony faces greeted her.

"We are coming with you" Adrian said, stepping forward from amongst the many young riders.

Arya nodded. "I cannot stop you and you have a right to protect the very families you promised to protect"

_Will you be able to live with the guilt of knowing that you have contributed to their death?,_ a voice in her mind asked and Arya pressed her lips together.

_If the shadow wyrms prevail, death is coming for us all_, she replied.

_How can you be sure? You do not know what they want._

_They attacked us… I spoke to the creature that leads them and they appear to be beyond reasoning. _

_I need to talk to you,_ Eragon concluded, for the mental voice belonged to the Dragon Rider Leader.

_What else is there to say?, _

_We shall join you. The elder riders and I have reached a conclusion. _

A sapphire set of wings came into the horizon alongside orange, pale yellow, grey, red-pink, bright light green and others. Saphira landed on sand and a few grains reached Arya's eyes.

"Riders… The decision I must make is a heavy one but one I fear we cannot avoid" Eragon began. "Only elder and proven riders will return to Alagaesia. If you have not completed more than the minimum amount of training needed I cannot take you with me"

That caused an uproar with the young riders.

Gwen, a human rider, came forth. "I have completed most of my training. I can be of much help to you, Eragon. Allow me the honour of accompanying you, protecting the ones I love and taking revenge on the ones that have harmed my family"

Eragon shook his head. "I cannot. All of you need to stay here with the masters of training"

"Drottingu… Please make him see reason. I am a proven rider, that much must be plain for you to see" Adrian said speaking only to her and she had to look at Eragon who shook his head.

"No. My decision on this is solid" Eragon said in a stern tone of voice, the first time Arya had heard him use such a tone. "We shall set off tomorrow. There is a storm coming and getting caught in it would not be wise. Firnen also needs to be fully rested. Tell me if our establishments should suffice for the night. Food will also be brought to you and Firnen"

Arya blinked.

It was immediately evident that this was Eragon's way of apologising to her.

_What made you change your mind?,_ she wondered speaking to the Dragon Rider Leader only.

_My beliefs… Its what Brom and Oromis always told me that set me apart from Galbatorix. Today I misbehaved, abandoning everything I believe and fight for. It was a senseless moment of mine, one that should have never happened. It was a moment of weakness brought about by my guilt over everything I have caused. The spell twenty years ago… You were right. Arya. You were right, in everything. I should not have cast the spell, I should not have included the wild eggs, I should have stayed in Alagaesia and finally sent more riders to see what was happening. All of them are dead now because of me. The girl, Kayla she is right as well. Everything Galbatorix did… I have made the same if not worse mistakes. I still do not know who the enemy is. Is it the dragon? Is it the shadow wyrms? I don't know. Can you find the strength in your heart to forgive me?_

….

"This is ridiculous" Rikon whispered annoyed and his red cheeks flushed even redder.

"Who does Eragon think he is to deny us the right to go back to Alagaesia and protect our families?"Grohn said and his fist tightened.

They were in Glieonard, having a delicious meal of honeyed glazed carrot pie and chestnut and hazelnut creamy soup but the atmosphere was so tense that none was paying particular attention to their food or talking to each other as they had done in previous events in the Grand Hall.

"He is only doing this to protect us…" Tristan intersected and Vertigo landed next to him, gently rubbing one of his wings over his rider's shoulders.

"Is he?" Adrian spoke and pulled his dark chestnut hair away from his brow. He was kneeling on the ground with one hand under his chin, deep in concentration.

The only absent young riders were Gwen, Laer and the twins. Gwen was staying in Murtagh's room, constantly watching over her father. Tristan did not blame her considering the red rider only had a few more days left. He even felt guilty for jumping to conclusions when Gwen had uttered a few incomprehensible, at the time, phrases while drunk.

In Eomhill Tristan had learnt the truth about Gwen's parents and had stood in awe, hardly believing what he was hearing. He had been the first person Gwen had ever told the whole truth and he had sworn to keep her secret. Whether that experience had brought them closer together it was hard to tell yet but Gwen seemed to trust him more.

Kayla was there as well even though she had not yet uttered a word. Aiedail was next to her and Tristan noticed his sister's arm constantly staying within the dragon's reach as if afraid to do otherwise.

"How can he expect us to stay here?" Gas, the human rider who rarely took part in conversations said.

Everyone agreed and nodded while solemnly sipping on warmed herbal tea. It was Adrian who first suggested the idea of joining the riders.

"Think about it. We have had more than enough training. If we stay here and the riders lose against the shadow wyrms then they will come for us next and we have little to no hope of defeating them. But our forces combined with the elder riders will be enough to crush them to dust!" he said.

Kayla was the first to agree. She raised her cup in silence and gave a solemn nod. Grohn's and Rikon's response were a lot louder with them bumping their firsts and uttering a war cry.

Tristan pressed his lips together and stared at the riders feeling hesitant for the first time. It wasn't that he didn't want to protect the people in Alagaesia. He wanted that more than he could admit to himself. It wasn't that he didn't think himself capable enough of standing against the shadow wyrms… He knew he had been trained by Eragon separately and even though he wasn't the best rider he could offer much in the fight. No… What he was afraid of was that standing against Eragon's judgement might prove to be fatal. There was a reason why Eragon wanted them to stay in Dis Atilan. Tristan was never one to follow the rules, breaking them at every chance he could get, back in Arhan village, but when the stakes were so high… Breaking the rules could prove to be fatal.

Nevertheless when he realised that all the riders had joined in the cause he could not do anything different. If the riders were going to face the threat he was not going to wait here for them.

"How do you propose we do this, Adrian? Obviously the riders will place protective barriers around the island… " Tristan asked.

The elven rider pressed his arms over his chest "Each of us has a very specific set of skills. By next week we will be in Alagaesia and neither Eragon nor any of the elder riders will be able to deny us the right to fight"

…

_Can you find the strength in your heart to forgive me_?, Eragon thought, remembering the question he had asked Arya on the shores of Dis Atilan.

He pressed his palms over his head. War was coming and tomorrow he had to ride but sleep was not coming for him. He wished Saphira was by his side to offer counsel and comfort but the she-dragon and Firnen had taken of for the night and he did not wish to invade her privacy.

The elder riders would come with him to Alagaesia but the masters of training would stay in Dis Atilan. It was the only wise choice to make. It was to one of them that Eragon wished to open up to but in all the years he had spent with them there was none he could call his friend.

His steps took him to Eomhill where he entered Murtagh's chambers to find Gwen by the red rider's side. Her head had fallen on the side and she was fast asleep. Eragon gently uttered a spell and the human rider's body was gently lifted over the chair and transferred to the next room. Eragon placed a blanket over his niece's shoulders and then returned next to his brother's side. As expected, Murtagh's situation had worsened and Eragon knew this would be his last chance to talk to him.

Gently he entered his brother's consciousness but soon found strong barriers placed around his consciousness as he had done so countless times before. He had never attempted to break them, respecting the privacy of mind and he was not about to do so now. Instead he opened himself up to Murtagh's consciousness and waited hoping that he would listen…

And he didn't have to wait long.

_I thought you were never going to talk to me,_ his brother said humourlessly but Eragon laughed nevertheless.

_Well, I am glad you visited Dis Atilan after so many years… It has been long, brother. Too long_. Eragon replied.

_You know why I could not visit sooner than this. And now its too late. _

Eragon held his breath._ Don't say that. _

_You don't need to lie to me Eragon. I know I am dying. I have known for some days now. Thorn has known as well. My body is abandoning me and there is no way of changing this. I wish things could have been different. _

For the second time this year Eragon felt salty tears running down his face._ Its never too late._

Murtagh avoided replying to this_. I wish we had more time together. There is so much more I could have told you about the Northlands. They are endless. Lands different, yet same to Alagaesia. There were animals the size of the Varden's elephants yet covered with fur and tigers twice the size of the ones found in the Spine. Once, Thorn and I encountered some human life but we could have been wrong. Whatever it was, the creature was too afraid to stay. Magic also seemed to work differently there as well, my powers almost deteriorating. At times the sky was lit up with the red light from comets. There were lands that were so cold that the snow seemed to enter my spine from all directions. It was then that I felt like I was losing my mind, when I saw ice creatures dancing in the midst of a snow storm that I decided to return only to realise I had abandoned Nasuada at a time of need…_

_You didn't know though. You had no idea that Nasuada was with child_, Eragon said in comfort.

_Yes. Carrying my child, having to face one advisor after the next, maintain the peace with the Urgals dwarves and elves, keeping herself safe from all the strugglers, poisoners and assassins while I was living the life of an adventurer. I should have never abandoned her and Gwen… Things might have been different. _

_There are many things we wish we might have done differently,_ Eragon agreed on this one.

_You did what was at the time right. You did not know its aftereffects. Most of the leaders of the races might have done the same. _

_Not Arya_, Eragon said, thinking once again of the river of black hair and the look that had crossed the elf's eyes when he had told her his thoughts.

_You should rest brother,_ Murtagh advised and to that Eragon had to laugh.

_Compared to you I believe I have enough energy._

_Maybe so but if you are to face the enemy you need every ounce of strength you can spare_.

And with that Murtagh consciousness slipped away from his own, leaving him only with a few memories of the shadow wyrms he had faced in Bull Ridge.

On the way back to his dorms, Eragon was deep in thought trying to analyse everything he had witnessed from his brother's eyes. So preoccupied was he with this strain of thought that he did not notice the open door to his room or the aroma of pine needles that tingled his nostrils.

And yet there she was.

Eragon had to take a deep breath at the sight of the elf looking at the dark green forest, a colour so similar to her eyes as her midnight coloured hair danced at the edges of her bare back.

"Arya…" Eragon uttered and she turned around.

She was wearing a light piece of clothing that gently hugged her lower body and only the upper front part of her. Goosebumps were present on her bare arms and Eragon did what felt natural to him and offered her one of the warm blankets on his bed to which Arya shook her head.

He kept the blanket in trembling hands and not knowing how to proceed he decided to settle at the edge of his bed.

_You asked me if I could find the strength in my heart to forgive you Eragon. And I can… ,_ Arya said and took a few steps towards his direction and then gently took a sit next to the bed_. You are not the only one to blame for the situation Eragon. I have handled certain things poorly as well. I should have never become Queen. My people need me but this is not the life for me. I was not born to do this, it was never my wish and for a dragon rider to have such power… It can often be disastrous. Lord Dathedr should have taken my stead instead and I should have been here, helping you train the new riders. _

Her arm lightly brushed across his and then she retreated, almost looking embarrassed. Eragon felt his heart beat increase and soon got an image from Saphira, one that made him blush as well. Arya's thoughts seemed to be on the same line because she turned around and looked at the forest, closing her eyes.

Eragon noticed how her skin seemed to glitter under the stars' light and lightly he put his palm over her shoulders, goose bumps immediately appearing and Arya retreating one again.

_Eragon. Don't,_ she advised and shook her head.

_Why not?,_ he couldn't help but wonder.

_We cannot. I am the Queen of the elves and you are the Dragon Rider Trainer. The world relies on us too much to be distracted. Maybe when the situation is different …_

_Arya the situation will never be different. There will never be a point where no dangers lurk, where everyone is safe, where people are good, where races don't hate each other. As much as I wish it, this is an ideal scenario and it will never happen. _

To this, the elven beauty had no answer. Again, Eragon brushed his knuckles over her lower back and goose bumps appeared but this time Arya turned around to face him, her lips slightly open and her irises dilated.

First, he brought his face near her neck and gently brushed his nose over her collarbone without touching her. He felt her breath catching but she did not retreat. His lips came after, doing something he had dreamed of doing ever since he had seen the elf.

He kissed the tips of her pointed ears and pushed her hair away from her back and to the side where he dropped more kisses to her shoulders and neck.

Eragon could have continued doing this, he was enjoying it much but Arya turned around and kissed him with an urgency he had not expected. Their lips met in a tornado, mirroring the storm that was raging outside and what came after felt like it lasted for an eternity.

After, Arya was lying on his chest, looking to the sky and appreciating the silence that once again fell on them. It wasn't awkward. They had spent far too much time quietly to be awkward.

Eragon dropped her one more kiss at the top of her head before they both fell asleep.

…

The boy was running fast, his bare toes slipping on the dirty puddles that covered the edges of the underground city. His loud breath and sighs were audible enough for Hrujk Dval to raise his face above. The stone stairs had been constructed by dwarves many a years ago and stood there, a reminder of the old days and the old ways.

Even though the messenger boy's arrival had been signalled as soon as he had been sighted at the outskirts of Tarnag, it had still taken him another hour before he had reached the entrance to the city and another hour until he had been able to descend the stairs.

Hrujk Dval tapped his finger nails on his iron chair in anticipation and slight irritation. The boy could have easily used one of the many lifts that were present in Tarnag but he had chosen against it, whether due to rush or stupidity remained to be seen.

At last the boy reached his underground chamber and fell to his knees before him.

"My lord…" he stabled and slipped on the moist rocky surface.

Hrujk Dval exhaled angrily. "I do not have time for this, boy. Speak quick and speak the truth. Your life depends on this"

The boy suddenly looked scared but nodded nevertheless. "Bull Ridge was attacked only a fortnight ago by shadow wyrms. Teirm was attacked as well a few days back. Sightings of shadow wyrms have increased all over Alagaesia. They have already attacked Ilirea once and there are rumours they tried to break into the elven forest. Some say they succeeded only to be fend off later on but I cant vouch for this information"

"Good, good. So far they seem to be only attacking human and elven cities. Although attacking Bull Ridge with all the races gathered was a direct attack to all the races, surely, my lord?" Ijmir Zathrot, his advisor said.

"Not entirely… Dave, that is your name boy is it not?" Hrujk asked and the boy quickly nodded. "Could you tell me what other news have reached your ears since the attack in Bull Ridge? Can you tell me what happened?"

The boy, Dave nodded again and took in a deep breath. "I do not know for sure but my brother sent me a letter as soon as the events occurred. All the dragons riders present were killed apart from the elven Queen, who departed for Dis Atilan. He said she rode with the red dragon…"

"and what else?" Hryjk barked at the boy, beginning to feel impatient.

The messenger looked down on his feet, unsure which seemed to anger the leader.

"Now boy, unless you want your brother and father to be tortured to death!" Ijmir Zathrot shouted.

"The dwarven king Orik died" the boy said almost in tears.

His answer seemed to satisfy Hryjk who motioned with his finger for a man to be brought in front of him. He gave a nod to Ijmir and the man tightened the chains around the man until foams started coming forth from his mouth.

The boy watched in terror as Ijmir tightened the chains and then released them, tightened and released, tightened… This time Ijmir didn't release the chains and the man fell to the ground, trying to scream, his face a mask of desperation. Finally he gave one last breath before his body crushed to the stone ground with a loud noise.

The messenger boy gulped.

"This is to remind you, boy, what happens to people who betray me. This man lied to me. He told me the dwarven king was well and alive. No doubt a spy for the other side. They still do not trust us, they think that Dûrgrimst Az Sweldn rak Anhûin will betray them. They are right of course" he finished and let out a sigh.

"The Gods are with us" Ijmir Zathrot said.

"Indeed, they are" Hryjk agreed. "Do you know why the dwarven king died? Do you know why the riders are dying as well, boy?"

The messenger shook his head.

"Its because the dwarves have sided with the riders. And the elves and the Urgals… The Gods know it is a bad thing. The Gods know. The shadow wyrms are their doing, boy. Its their way of aiding us"

"It is clear they support you, my lord Hryjk. Helzvog is with you" Ijmir said.

Hryjk nodded, obviously pleased with himself and then turned to the boy again who took a few steps back in terror. "There is only thing I need from you boy. You need to write to your brother. Its time he made himself useful. Nasuada needs to be put down once and for all"

…

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed! Thanks to Best Oc Maker, Umaroth Elda, RandomPerson88, Guest, Guest, Howtobook101, DerbDCat and Guest for the amazing reviews on the last chapter. Next chapter should again be posted Sunday or Monday in 2 weeks hopefully. **


	45. Fool me once

**Chapter 45- Fool me once**

Tristan was beginning to feel impatient. He, Grohn and Rikon had been kneeling on the ground near the shores of Dis Atilan for almost 5 hours now without any sign of the elder riders.

"When do you think they will arrive? They are supposed to leave today, early morning" Rikon whispered but both Grohn and Tristan raised their fingers to their lips motioning for him to be quiet.

The dwarf pressed his lips together and looked slightly irritated but as soon as they heard the whoosh of wings they turned their attention to the shores. To no one's surprise, Eragon, Arya, the elder riders, some of the older students and the masters of training were on the shores of Dis Atilan. All of them were in battle gear and their armors and swords glittered under the first rays of the rising sun.

_Riders have been sighted. I repeat riders have been sighted_, Rikon whispered in all of the young riders' minds.

_Make sure you keep them at your sights at all time,_ Adrian advised.

_Agreed_, Tristan and Grohn simultaneously replied.

In the opposite side of the island - where the riders had first landed - the dwarves and the elves of the shores resided. It was there, that a harbor was present with about fifteen ships, built and maintained by the residents of the island.

Their plan was simple. Steal some ships, enough to fit the young riders and some of the dragons when they needed to rest and then depart from the island. To increase their speed they would use magic and their dragons' help in pulling the ship across the water. Kayla, Adrian and the twins were on thieving duty while Grohn, Rikon and Tristan had to watch the riders who were to depart and make sure they did what they were meant to, without noticing anything was amiss. The other riders, like Laer, Gwen and Gas were watching the Masters of training in Glieonard, as they had started placing some of the protective spells around the island. By keeping track of what the Masters were doing they had higher chances of breaking the spell, but with Kayla's magic capabilities Tristan did not doubt that they could easily leave the island.

Already Adrian and Kayla had cast a sleeping spell on half of the elven and dwarven residents of the shore and the other half had eaten some of the mushroom pie with an extra kick that Laer had kindly offered them. The twin girls had already managed to obtain three elven ships and Kayla and Adrian were attempting to steal one more, one of a larger size.

Tristan watched the first elder dragons taking off, followed by Arya, Eragon and some of the proven students.

_Elder Riders are departing, _Rikon said excited and almost made a snoring noise.

Tristan smirked and looked at the dwarven rider, knowing that their plan was working. The next and last part of the plan would be the hardest - trying to break the spells that were placed around the island - but unless the Masters of Training followed them, Tristan doubted anyone else would stop them. He could not imagine the elder riders turning around just to escort them back to Dis Atilan.

Rikon made another snoring noise and Tristan blinked looking at the dwarven rider.

_Shh. Not too loud_, he advised and Rikon scratched his nose.

_Sorry_, he said but his voice was slurred.

Tristan tsked and looked at Grohn who unexpectantly kicked the nearest bush in reflex. The boy raised an eyebrow.

_What was that for?,_ he asked Grohn, perplexed but the Urgal rider simply raised his hands in the air and continued looking at the shore.

It was then that they saw the shapes of Adrian, Kayla and the twins arriving aboard four beautiful, magnificent ships. One had black sails and looked to be of Urgal or dwarven make and the other three were elven with bright while sails. Two of them were coming closer while the third was moving slower its sails under the water…

Tristan blinked and rubbed his eyes confused looking at the ship again. For a moment it had appeared as if the ship was on the wrong side up but on a closer look that was not the case.

_You made it guys! Does that mean we are ready to depart?,_ Tristan asked excited in the riders' minds.

Adrian was the first to lock eyes with Tristan and gawk in surprise.

_Why are you here? You were supposed to watch the elder riders depart_, the elf said, his eyebrows pulled together.

_We are, I mean we did. But they left before you_, Grohn explained.

_So you decided…,_ May started.

_To join us .._

_In the shores?_

_Don't.._

_Wake…_

_The Elves and _

_The dwarves of the Shore_, Maya ended.

Tristan, Grohn and Rikon exchanged glances with each other.

_I am confused,_ Rikon said letting out another snore.

Tristan watched his sister eyebrows pulling together.

_There is something off,_ she whispered and started touching the leaves of the nearest tree with her eyes closed.

It was then that Tristan heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see Gwen just as she arrived and was out of breath.

"Are you okay? Why are you not with Murtagh?" he asked her, concerned and she looked at him perplexed.

"I am not sure… Last time I was with him" she replied and Tristan saw her confusion. He turned around to tell the rest of the riders that Gwen had arrived, only to find that none were there.

Perplexed, he quickly turned back to Gwen just as the setting sun was setting everything ablaze.

"Tristan, what is happening?" the human rider asked just as a bird went to sit on her shoulder and started singing in a cheery tune.

Tristan run to Gwen's side and looked at the bird as its song started from a lullaby only to increase to an erratic melody that made little sense. Tristan blinked again.

"Stay where you are" he advised her and he went to catch the bird but the bird quickly flew away and started talking in a human voice.

"Young, young riders. Young, foolish riders" it sung and for a second it seemed like the bird was smiling.

Gwen clasped his hand together with hers and gazed around her just as the scenery seemed to change and they were no longer in the forest but in one of the cliffs in Dis Atilan, the waves crushing on the rocks below them. The noise they were making was loud, like giants walking on earth, their every movement an earthquake…

"Look at me!" Gwen shouted at him and Tristan turned to her direction.

Then without any warning she pushed him from the cliff jumping with him in the process. Tristan closed his eyes and screamed, hoping he would not die and the same thing that happened to him last time he lost his balance and fell from a cliff, would happen again. He hoped that his fall would be gentle, the sea water warm and he would learn the ending of the stories he had seen last time below Stenr Abr Andlá.

Only he never reached the water, feeling the earth shift beneath him.

Tristan opened his eyes and the first thing he heard was a snoring noise. He turned behind him and saw Rikon sleeping atop a desk with a pillow under his head, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Oh, good morning Tristan how kind of you to join us" Idel, the Master of Magic said to him. Next to her was Octavian, then Maud and then Mirin who was rearranging some books atop the bookcases in the Library in Glieonard.

Tristan blinked once again and then saw Adrian across him tapping his fingers on the wooden desk, looking irritated while Kayla on his right hand side was completely silent. However, he did not fail to notice the small spark that was dancing between her hands.

_What happened? Where are the ships_?, Tristan couldn't help but ask but it was Maud who replied to his mind and none of the young riders.

_Young, young riders. Young, foolish riders_, she said purring and instantly Tristan recognised the bird's voice from his dream.

_It was you!,_ he exclaimed and Maud purred again while Idel crossed her fingers.

_It was a good try riders, but sad to say you failed to obtain the ships and unfortunately we have already placed more than enough barriers to keep you on this island and our enemies at bay. If you think Kayla will break them I would suggest thinking again. This set of barriers operates in a very… unique way…, _Idel said and smiled gently.

_What do you mean?,_ Tristan asked because he was still not sure that what he was seeing was real. He blinked again and he noticed the rain falling loudly on the windows of the library in Glieonard.

_The spell draws power from the one who is trying to break it. So instead of breaking it, the barrier becomes stronger_, Adrian said and pressed his lips together.

Kayla exhaled. _It was all a scam! We were never even close to stealing the ships. The Masters of Training placed a very interesting ingredient in our food last night. One that makes all races alike fall into deep slumber. The elder riders, Eragon, Arya and the proven riders left at dawn way before any of us had even began waking up, deep in a well-orchestrated dream thinking that we were actually getting one step closer to Alagaesia. _

_Just a little mind walking. Soon you may even learn how to use this ability yourselves. As you can tell, flying lessons are cancelled for today so you may as well practise this ability if you so wish_, Maud said happily and Kayla shot her an irritated expression.

Tristan rubbed his palms over his forehead. _Why did it take us so long to understand that this was a dream? And why were all the riders there?_

_Some of us understood that something wasn't right way earlier than others_, Kayla said and paused.

_Obviously when the details of our surroundings started disintegrating we knew something was off_, Adrian continued and Octavian smirked.

_Did you know? Sad to say Eragon was lending us some of his capabilities but as the distance between us and him increased the spell started falling apart… Nevertheless we did not need to keep it up for long as most of you had fallen for it already and were making your own scenarios without any help from us, _Octavian further explained.

_So the people we were seeing in our dreams were… just that? A fraction of our imagination?,_ Adrian asked, his eyebrows pulled together.

Idel shook her head. _No. All the riders that are present in Glieonard at the moment were also in the dream at some point or another. Not anymore though._

Rikon let out another loud snore before he slipped from the desk and fell to the ground, instantly waking up and rubbing his head.

"Why do I have scales?" he asked in a terrified voice and started touching his body all over to make sure he was all right.

Tristan went to his side and helped him up, explaining what had occurred while Kayla and Laer were talking amongst themselves. He heard them say the words "storm" and "too strong" and then Mirin clapped his tiny hands together and told them to all sit back on their desks for more history lessons.

By the end of the afternoon Tristan was feeling lethargic once again just as Mirin was going over the second part of the dwarven history war between the clans.

"And then it is said that Helzvog..." Mirin was saying while Tristan's eyes were shutting closed, as exhaustion and the remnants of Maud's special spices mixed into his evening meal - he did not doubt - were taking their toll on him.

"Chew it quickly and it will wake you up" Laer advised, passing him a green plant Tristan had not seen before. He smelled it suspiciously and looked at the rider one more time before he started chewing it.

It was one of the bitterest things Tristan had ever tasted, but its effects were immediately evident as his breathing rate increased and he felt his irises dilating. He raised his eyebrows at Laer who shook his head, smiling.

"_Hemileia vastatrix_" Laer added and then turned his attention to Mirin.

"And then King Hrothgar, the forty second dwarf king took the throne from his predecessor and ruled peacefully during Galbatorix's reign only to be killed during the Battle of the Burning Plains…" Mirin continued but Rikon stopped him.

"Killed by Murtagh, the red Dragon Rider…" he started but Gwen intersected.

"Both Murtagh and his dragon Thorn were under the power and influence of Galbatorix, having sworn blood oaths to do what he commanded them to do…"

"But they could have chosen to take a different path of action. Nevertheless most dwarves know that Galbatorix's fall wouldn't have happened without their aid" Maurine intersected smiling kindly to Gwen who nodded.

"Yes… It is no secret that Murtagh and many of the dragon riders are not liked by most of the dwarven clans but after the signing of the treaty and the inclusion of the dwarven race into the Dragon Rider band most have changed their opinion. Nevertheless it was King Orik, Hrothgar's adopted son who took his place next, blessed by Helzvog himself…"

"How do you know he was blessed by Helzvog himself?" Adrian intersected, playing with the edges of a pen as a droplet of ink dropped on the scroll he was holding in front of him.

Mirin cleared his throat, looking slightly irritated. "One can feel the presence of the deities during the sacred ceremonies…"

"Were you there? Did you see the Great God? Has anyone seen the Gods?" Adrian continued and rose from his chair.

Mirin pressed his elbow on the desk. "Take your sit, young rider. Just because we cannot see certain things that does not mean they do not exist. Your elven heritage should have taught you as much. Creatures born without magic cannot sense the consciousness of the trees but that does not mean they do not exist…"

"This is true indeed, but then why have no elves sensed the Gods? We have sensed Spirits and Eldunari but not the Gods…" Adrian started once more but was stopped by Rikon.

"Dwarves have sensed the presence of Gods many a times throughout our lifespan…" he started but Adrian shook his head as if he had had enough.

"I respect the need to believe in a power greater than ourselves but… There is no power greater than ourselves. Each race has their own Gods and Deities. Does that mean that they all exist or do they all cancel each other out? Whatever the case someone is definitely on the wrong side. The Wandering Tribes believe in Gokurara and Unulukuna, some of the Varden believe in Angvard, then the Urgals in Rahna, the mother goddess and Svarvok the god of war. The dwarves have many more gods, Helzvog, Klif, Morgothal, Urur, Sindri and Guntera the king of the deities who is said to have created the elves. If Guntera is the strongest of the dwarven Gods does that not mean that the race that he created would also be the strongest? Should not the dwarves pay tribute to the elves since we were created by the King of the Deities according to _your_ History?" Adrian argued once more and Tristan looked at him, realising that his arguments made much sense.

Growing up he and his family had never paid tribute to the Gods. Yes, his father had once been a member of the Wandering Tribes and he would pray to Unulukuna before a hunt but never had religion influenced their decisions or rather stood against their decisions. Tristan did not believe in fate or destiny either. He believed that a man was only as strong as his will was. If his will was weak no matter what choices he made they would be for naught.

However, never had he argued with the dwarves or Urgals about their religion. They were free to believe in destiny or whatever else they wanted, as long as their decisions did not put him and the rest of Alagaesia at risk.

"Do not insult the Gods!" Grohn shouted suddenly irritated.

"Do you think it was the Gods who put you in this position, Grohn? And Master Mirin how would you explain the existence of the Urgals or better yet the Werecats? According to _your_ history they were not created by any of your Deities… Then how are they alive?" Adrian argued once more, his cheeks slightly aflame and for the first time Tristan saw one lock of hair misplaced by his otherwise perfect hairstyle.

Adrian shook his head quickly and went to exit the Library.

"Elven rider wait!" Mirin intersected, raising his hand in the air.

Adrian raised his eyebrows. "Unless you intend to teach us something useful and something true I do not intend to waste my time here, listening to children's stories. I think none of the other riders should stay here as well if they do not wish to"

That caused Maya and May to follow Adrian to the door but a thunder so loud which shook the entire building made them pause.

"Riders, wait" Mirin repeated slowly and all riders turned their attention to the windows where they watched the rain falling aplenty and the sky being torn in half by lighting.

"My beliefs are mine as are your beliefs yours. I now think that with your words you angered Urur, the God of the skies but you will argue against it. Nevertheless you are right. I shall not mention Religion again in my lesson unless it is crucial for us to understand the reasoning behind one's decisions. Please, let us continue with our lesson" the Dwarven Master of History and Ancient Language continued.

Whether it was the Dwarven God of the Skies, Urur, who had caused the storm Tristan did not know but what he did know was that the elder riders, Eragon and Arya were in trouble with such a weather. Tristan had not forgotten how challenging it was riding a dragon with only the slightest hint of bad weather.

_What do you believe?,_ Tristan suddenly asked his dragon, curious.

Vertigo was inside the Grand Hall doing stretching exercises, annoyed for being left behind in Dis Atilan and also not being to fly.

_Dragons do not believe in Gods or Deities. We have magic, this we know, and if we believe in something then this is the wisdom of the Eldunari, our elders and our power but nothing more. If the dwarven history is correct they we were created by Urur and Morgothal, the Gods of the Heavens and Fire but I believe this story might be skewed, as most other stories passed down to generations,_ his dragon said.

Tristan laughed. _Indeed, that's the case. Who would listen to a story about two Dwarves named Urur and Morgothal who happened to come upon dragons for the first time? It is not exciting at all. Even, I, used to skip the sections in History books when peace reigned and no wars or exciting things happened even though those were the most important sections of the History Books because keeping a kingdom's peace, the economical and political situation stable were some of the most difficult of tasks. _

A thunder echoed through Glieonard once again and Vertigo yawned. _If only the dwarven lore was true… Then dragons would be able to have thunder and lightning under their command but we are weak when the weather is like this._

Tristan smiled once again as Mirin continued his lesson, explaining the war that ranged between dragons and elves.

….

Eragon tried to hold on tightly to Saphira's thorns as she tried to glide steadily atop a strong forward wind but it quickly changed direction making the she-dragon lose balance and fight for what felt like the hundredth time against the weather's elements.

_We need to find land soon, riders and dragons! Keep your eyes open because if this continues we have no hope of reaching Alagaesia_, he advised in the minds of the riders just as another thunder echoed throughout the horizon.

The sky was dark and visibility was possible only when lightning appeared. Nevertheless it had been many hours since a patch of land had last been sighted in the area near Dis Atilan.

_What if we land on water?,_ one of the elder Urgal riders riding Orofan, a pale yellow beast, said.

_We cannot. It is __no secret that Nïdhwal reside in those waters. And even if__ they don't the waves would crush us in seconds_, Arya advised just as she leaned to the side to avoid a raft of water flying to her direction.

At the moment the riders were flying as close to water as possible since higher up the storm that was raging made it impossible to fly. They had attempted flying higher than the clouds in order to avoid the bad weather but breathing in such heights became a more dangerous task than flying close to the sea, as dragons and riders alike could easily lose consciousness from the lack of oxygen and fall to their deaths without even realising.

_There! I can see land_!, Diriwan a female dwarven elder rider said as her pale pink dragon flew closer to the direction her rider had pointed at.

Eragon and the rest of the riders followed suit, hoping to land on the patch of earth as soon as possible but suddenly they heard a growl, one which did not belong to a dragon.

A feeling of dread unlike anything Eragon had felt before seized his heart and he looked up to the skies to see the talons of a shadow wyrm slicing his shoulder.

He let out a scream of pain and surprise just as Saphira changed her course of flight and blew fire to the shadow wyrm making it retreat, only temporarily, however. Saphira's flying course had led her down an unsteady rift of wind which pushed her wings forward and backward at the same time.

Saphira let out a loud growl just as a cracking noise sounded and Eragon covered his mouth as his dragon's pain rocked through him.

_Hold on Saphira! If we can reach land you will be safe_, he promised his dragon who bit the tail of the next shadow wyrm who came her way in obvious irritation. Eragon whispered some words in the Ancient Language to quickly heal Saphira's broken bones and then pulled his sword out. The loss of energy was immediately evident in his movements but still he managed to slice the creature's body in half, making dark liquid explode all around him and he was quick to utter a few words that would protect him and the riders from the shadow wyrm's deadly liquid.

_Why did the protective spells not work_?, Eragon had to wonder to himself as he fended off a shadow wyrm which was attacking Arya but Firnen was quick enough to grab tightly on the creature's shoulders and slice his belly open.

_Maybe they were weakened during the storm?, _Saphira offered as she let out another strong jet of flames which lasted for minutes and burned the four shadow wyrms that were around her to dust.

_Take that, killers and destroyers of the dragon eggs_, Saphira screamed in the minds of everyone present with such power that the dragon riders seemed to take courage from her words and started attaching the shadow wyrms more fiercely.

Chunks of flesh – dragon and wyrm- descended from the sky as a lightning bolt struck again only a few inches away from where Saphira's back left leg was. The she-dragon growled and let out another jet of flames which burned the next two descending shadow wyrms.

_How many more of them are there?,_ Eragon wondered in his dragon's mind as another five shadow wyrms appeared from between the clouds.

The sky was so dark and with so many clouds and rain that even the dragons found it hard discerning things. At some point Eragon saw Orofan attacking Diriwan and her dragon, no doubt mistaking her for the shadow wyrm but it was too late. Diriwan's dragon had lost her wings and she was falling fast towards the dark sea.

Saphira flew to their direction as Eragon prepared to cast a spell that would caution their fall but suddenly his dragon changed direction.

_Saphira!,_ Eragon exclaimed in her mind but the she-dragon only growled loudly and attacked the next shadow wyrm coming their way.

_You would not have been able to stop their fall and you would have wasted valuable energy in the process. Remember, the Eldunari are refusing to lend you their power,_ Saphira replied.

Eragon's swallowed bile and then went on to slice a shadow wyrm's head with Brisingr. The blade cut through the creature's head cleanly and before long the wyrm was descending fast, to be added to the pile of bodies which were swallowed by the non-forgiving sea.

The shadow wyrms appeared to have suddenly retreated and Eragon paused, gazing around him to find the rest of the riders. Not many were present.

He had started with more than ten and now, only 3 were left, Arya and Firnen -although Arya was suffering a deep cut above her abdomen - and Gihlah, Orofan's rider and his dragon.

The wind was still blowing hard and Eragon had to squint his eyes to see but there was nothing more in the distance other than clouds and lightning. He flew closer to the other two dragons and suddenly he felt a rush of malicious thoughts entering his mind and he had to look down to see a Nïdhwal so large that it put Saphira to shame, coming towards them.

_Riders, fast!,_ Arya shouted in everyone's mind and despite the wind rifts pushing them down the riders were able to climb higher and higher, momentarily losing themselves between the clouds until another lightning bolt struck, a bolt that was strong that Eragon could feel the vibrations running through him and see the light of it even before it reached ground.

He only had a second to look up and that was when the bolt struck him. His lower body felt as if it was on fire, a fire which burned hotter than Saphira's, a fire so deep that caused everything inside him to burst into flames. The bolt hit Saphira as well because Eragon heard her shriek before he uttered his own, even though his pain was clouding his thoughts and he didn't feel hers.

The air was once again blowing his hair, only now they were no longer going upwards but falling, falling to the unforgiving sea where the Nïdhwal would swallow them whole before the waves crushed them.

_Saphira,_ he managed to whisper hearing the words _little one_ in his mind.

The words of a long forgotten prophecy played in his mind just before he lost consciousness. _Beware of losing your way, for you are one of the few who are truly free to choose their own fate. That freedom is a gift, but it is also a responsibility more binding than chains. And yet, as if to counteract that, here is the lightning bolt. It is a terrible omen. There is a doom upon you, but of what sort I know not. Part of it lies in a death - one that rapidly approaches and will cause you much grief. But the rest awaits in a great journey. Look closely at this bone. You can see how its end rests on that of the sailing ship. That is impossible to misunderstand. Your fate will be to leave this land forever. Where you will end up I know not but you will never again stand in Alagaësia. This is inescapable. It will come to pass even if you try to avoid it. _

_I tried to avoid it, _Eragon thought and then as if a puzzle had clicked in his mind, he understood every meaning of the prophecy he had spent many nights trying to comprehend and alter. _I tried._

…

It was early morning when Kayla awoke and without further due she dressed in full gear, making sure to strap the two daggers that she had stolen from the Grand Hall the previous night. She put her hair into a tight ponytail making sure no loose strands fell in front of her eyes. She filled one pouch full with oats and the other with nuts while she put plenty of fresh water in both her water skins.

Despite the protective ward placed around the human dorm, Kayla found it easy to slip through it without causing any disruptions. She started running fast, feeling the fresh morning air slap her face and extinguishing whatever remnants of sleep were left. Aiedail was waiting for her near the lake she had swam in during the end of the Games.

_Are you sure you want to do this_?, the purple dragon inclined and Kayla nodded, once, while placing her legs tightly around Aiedail's back.

She closed her eyes for a few seconds and pinched herself. She had fallen for this trick once already and she wasn't going to fall for it again. During the dreaming spell that the Dragon Rider Masters had cast she had known something was off from the very start but she had chosen to ignore her gut feeling and proceed with the plan thinking it was only her imagination.

Not this time, though. She stopped often to look at her surroundings and the landscape making sure everything was as it was supposed to be, with no details missing, no upside down images or fantasies of her own.

In the beginning of her dream she had been with the rest of the young riders as they went along with their plan to steal the ships and return to Alagaesia but as soon as she had realised that there was something off, Kayla had been immediately transported into a different scenery with other creatures around her. She knew then that she was in a dream but the dream was too good for her to wake up. For a few seconds she had allowed herself to get lost into this parallel world of bliss until she had woken up with a startle. She had been the very first to awake, followed soon after by Adrian.

After examining for the tenth time the pattern of the leaves on a nearby tree, Kayla decided that this was reality. Aiedail landed with a small noise on the shores of Dis Atilan and the girl gently slid from her back and onto soft ground. She could feel the barrier placed around the island from a mile away. The energy of the spell was pulsing around her with the energy of the Eldunari and the Masters of Training and to her surprise, the energy of the island itself. She closed her eyes and started examining the spell, trying to find the different patterns it was connected to. Unfortunately, the spell was powered by many different souls and breaking it would require her to break the boundaries of every Eldunari and Master of Training.

She exhaled angrily and tried to see if there was another way around it, a way which the Masters had not considered, one that would allow her to sneak under a hidden passageway and into the exterior but… without any luck. The dragon came closer to her and touched her muzzle to her arm, lending her power, but for the time being Kayla did not require it.

"Clever spell, is it not?" she heard a voice saying behind her, one she recognised.

Kayla did not need to turn around or open her eyes.

"It will keep our enemies at bay" she replied, not in the least bit convinced after remembering the events that had occurred in her dream only a few hours ago.

Yes, discerning dream from reality was a skill and Kayla had known, even though she had had not partaken in the vision itself, that what she was witnessing was true. Shivers run on her skin, remembering the storm and the bodies of dragons and riders as they crushed to the dark sea…

"And the students locked inside" the male voice replied and Kayla heard the slightest whoosh of air as the rider sat next to her.

Kayla bit her lip just as she saw a large black dragon with golden highlights landing next to her and rushing to his rider.

"What's your plan?" Laer wondered and Kayla shook her head.

"It does not matter anymore. The only thing I, and _you_ can do at the moment, is wait. You were awfully silent during Mirin's lesson yesterday. Don't think for one second that I didn't know you were scheming" Kayla said and locked eyes with the rider.

Laer playfully laughed at her. "Me? Scheming? Don't be ridiculous. The fact that I was silent yesterday does not mean I don't have an opinion on the topic, just that I do not wish to share it"

"Why would you not?" Kayla wondered.

Again, the rider smiled. "One, I do not wish to offend anyone. Two, I am biased"

"So you think Gods exist, then" Kayla said and studied Laer's expression as it changed for only a brief second, indicating his surprise.

Then he corrected himself. "I don't _think_ Gods exist. Unfortunately, I _know_ they do"

Kayla's brows pulled together in perplex, ready to utter the next question when she heard a loud splash of waves.

"_Ramr ven_" she whispered quickly, rising from the sand and her sight became equal to her dragon's.

She could see a mile away and it was evident that there was a creature strapped between the sea boundaries of Dis Atilan and the outside world. Only this creature was humanoid and without a second thought she rode atop her dragon as Laer flew before her to the place the creature was stranded at. Neither the riders nor the creature could cross the boundaries, however.

"_Adurna moi_" Kayla said just then to stop the sea's power from swallowing the creature and only then did she see the river of brown hair springing forth from the water.

The woman blinked at her and then also whispered. "_Adurna moi_"

Without realising what was happening the water started changing, taking a shape Kayla was not sure she had thought off. Only then did she realise that water and air were the only things that could easily cross the boundaries placed around the island without any consequences. And only then did she realise that she had accidentally found the hidden passageway. The woman slipped through the boundaries easily and without a second thought Kayla jumped from her dragon's back landing just before the water, whispering some words that allowed her to walk atop the water's surface as if it was solid. She pulled the woman's hand and helped her stand atop the surface.

For a moment, nothing happened with the woman looking at her intently, as if she was someone familiar. Then, her attention sifted above, to where the two dragons and Laer were flying. Again, she watched them silently until she abruptly stopped and started laughing with a girlish laugh, her curly brown hair bouncing to the side.

Once again, all too abruptly, she started running on the water on the path Kayla had created.

"Wait!" the girl shouted and started running quickly after her while Laer and the two dragons followed suit.

Kayla cursed herself for making hasty decisions and made herself run faster, the water on the surface changing texture and becoming more fluid making her slide. She reached the shore at the same time the other woman and the dragons did but the woman had stopped running and was lying atop the sand with her eyes closed.

"Who are you?" Kayla couldn't help but ask and started concentrating her energy on the woman, preparing to attack her mind if need be, but the woman only laughed.

Laer reached her side also examining the woman in front of him carefully.

"I expected one such as you to know the answer to this question already" the woman replied with a young tone of voice. She looked to be no older than twenty years of age.

"Why are you here?" Laer asked next.

The woman cocked her head to the side and smirked as if what Laer had said was funny. "Ach ono néiat hávr thornessa hugin? Laerkarnadir, onr ushmara un ushnark hshod hávr tishna ono brot"

Kayla's eyebrows pulled together trying to understand what the woman had just said. The first part of the sentence was definitely elvish, asking Laer why he did not have the answer to his question already. The second part of the sentence was mixed. She discerned some elvish words but for the most part they appeared to be Urgal. She knew that in the Urgal tongue, Ushmara meant mother but other than this word she did not know the rest.

Laer stepped forward, his expression turning serious, calculating and cold as he moved in alarmingly fast speed and pressed a dagger across the woman's neck. "Horn ere ono? Wran ach ono hávr thornessa hugin?"

"Kaz jtierl razhid, Urgralgra" the woman said and Laer pressed the dagger closer to the woman's neck.

"Novri lacoona eka thornessa argon. Gin, sweran iet niostque rir deyja. Horn ere ono?" he asked again and Kayla stepped forward ready to stop him if need be.

She trusted the woman no more than Laer did but it was obvious she had valuable information and killing her would deny them the chance of getting this.

"I have had many names and lived many lives. Most, however know me as the herbalist" the woman smiled pleasantly and then proceeded to whisper something into Laer's ear which made the rider drop his dagger to the side, in horror, fascination and awe. His dragon's reaction was similar with the great creature kneeling to the ground and staring at the woman with dilated irises.

Kayla stared at them, unable to comprehend what was at play. She was about to utter a question when loud footsteps sounded from the distance.

"Why are you here, wise one?" Idel, the Master of Magic shouted, arriving with Maud, Octavian, Mirin and all the young riders.

"I like to be where significant events take place" was the woman's answer. "Alagaesia's doom approaches fast, creatures of the land, water and air are soon to perish and there is nothing in my power that can make me change this"

**A/N: Once again I apologise for taking this long to post a chapter. Tell me if you prefer this format of longer chapters rather than shorter, more frequent ones. Hope you enjoyed the story and many thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters, Elemental Dragon Slayer, Howtobook101 and Alfonse08 for your many reviews and helpful comments. I will take everything you said on board!**

**Ancient Language Translations:**

Hemileia vastatrix= Latin name for coffee

Ramr ven= strong sight

Adurna moi= water, change

Ach ono néiat hávr thornessa hugin = Do you not have this knowledge?

Laerkarnadir, onr ushmara un ushnark hshod hávr tishna ono brot = Laerkarnadir, your mother and father should have taught you better.

Horn ere ono? Wran ach ono hávr thornessa hugin? = Who are you? Why do you have this knowledge?

Kaz jtierl razhid, Urgralgra= Do not attack, horned man.

Novri lacoona eka thornessa argon. Gin, sweran iet niostque rir deyja. Horn ere ono? = Never call me this again. Now, answer my question or die. Who are you?


	46. The herbalist

**Chapter 46 – the herbalist**

"I like to be where significant events take place" was the woman's answer. "Alagaesia's doom approaches fast, creatures of the land, water and air are soon to perish and there is nothing in my power that I can do to change this"

And with this, the young, peculiar woman with the curly, bouncy hair run towards the forest.

"Where are you going?" Idel asked and made an attempt to follow her.

"I am going to explore. It's been many centuries since I last saw a new land with such… Interesting scenery and agriculture" the woman shouted, looking back while still running fast and letting out a loud, girlish laugh.

Perhaps, the Dragon Rider Masters would have followed her despite her impressive speed, if not for Maud who jumped into the forest after the herbalist without a second glance back.

Troubled with many unanswered questions, Kaya followed suit, running into the forest after Maud and the peculiar young woman. Both, however were running incredibly fast, faster even than any of the elves she had encountered and she soon lost track of them.

_Be careful Kayla. She may be dangerous, _Aiedail whispered and pushed her wings to get closer to land and closer to Kayla.

_If she wanted to harm me or the other riders she would have already done so,_ Kayla said with confidence and continued running into the forest with one aim in mind. That of getting answers.

Despite her deep knowledge of Dis Atilan's forests and mountains, Kayla soon found herself lost amongst the greenery. She paused many times trying to spot a movement or a coloured piece of clothing which would indicate the woman's whereabouts but she found none.

Frustrated, Kayla kneeled on the ground, her breath coming out loud. She would have given up if not for the sound of rustling leaves near her and the hushed breaths. Kayla crawled to the nearest bush, whispering words which would grant her invisibility.

"_Ramr ven_" she then whispered, pulling some of the bush's branches out of her way.

In front of her stood the same peculiar woman she had encountered in the shores of Dis Atilan, facing Maud.

Only Maud did not look happy. She was holding her walking stick in both hands, her lips pressed in a tight line and her eyes in slits.

"You promised, old one. _You promised_" she hissed and bowed to the ground, circling the other woman.

For a second, the other woman's expression changed, portraying such sorrow and anger that Kayla felt her heart break and a fierce need to cry overtook her. Even though the woman looked to be no older than twenty years of age, for that brief moment of time, her face creased and lined like a dried apricot, her eyes pools of running water, betraying knowledge and sorrow far beyond her years. Then, all too quickly, the herbalist's expression returned to its previous state and she smiled calmly.

Kayla had been around dragon riders and elves long enough to know that appearances could often be deceiving.

"I tried" the herbalist whispered.

"If you had tried hard enough _you_ would be the one dead right now, not him. He was just a boy. He was my son" Maud hissed once again and then spit on the ground, her eyes portraying malice, sorrow and anger.

For a moment nothing happened until the herbalist kneeled on the ground and rocked back and forth.

"They will soon come. Take your sorrow out on them" she said.

Maud nodded.

"They are the ones responsible for my son's death, I know this much. Make no mistake though; when this is over I will come back to claim back what was promised" the werecat said and Kayla felt shivers running down her spine.

With no further due Maud changed into her feline form, dropping the rags she usually wore to the forest bed, and run into the forest. The herbalist kneeled on the ground and started caressing the grass and flowers, often picking some plants, only to soon discard them.

Then she paused, studying a plant very intently. She picked it up, smelled it, caressed its leaves, opened her mouth…

"No!" Kayla screamed and jumped from the bushes, returning to a visible form.

The herbalist raised her eyebrow and looked at the girl.

"Its _Dilia Vellosa_" Kayla explained pointing at the plant. "Its poisonous"

"I know" the herbalist said and smiled at her pleasantly. "Now, can you tell your friends to come forth?"

Kayla raised her eyebrows at the woman, perplexed, but then she heard a noise from her left and she quickly turned around to see Laer and Adrian emerging.

"Is it true? Is it true that Alagaesia's doom approaches?" Adrian asked quickly before any of the two other riders had a chance to ask a question.

The herbalist pressed her arms over her chest. "Yes"

Kayla's mouth opened with a pop. "Why did you abandon the land then, why did you not do anything to stop the destruction..?"

The herbalist looked frustrated. "Did you not hear what I said before, child? I do not have the power. Make no mistake, though. The enemy will come here, before he goes to Alagaesia. For him to allow even a single rider to survive would be like playing with fire"

"Can we stop him?" Kayla asked this time as she played with the edges of her tunic.

The herbalist smiled and brushed the _Dilia Velosa_ against her lips. Her eyes locked with Kayla's for a brief moment, before the woman appeared next to her, offering her the plant.

Kayla took in a deep, quick breath. She saw Adrian and Laer preparing to make a move, but she raised her arm in the air to reassure them she was all right, something that made the herbalist smile once again.

"What does it tell you child? What does this plant make you feel?" the herbalist asked, curiosity evident in her tone.

Kayla swallowed and touched the Dilia Vellosa carefully. Never before had she beheld the plant, and it wasn't due to lack of trying. From the very beginning she had known that this plant had been dangerous, poisonous. There was no need for her to come into close contact with it. And yet, here she was, caressing the crimson petals of the flower as if Dilia Vellosa was her lover. She dropped it to the ground in shock and returned her gaze to the woman.

The herbalist started laughing once again. "It is seducting is it not? Beautiful, dangerous and powerful. As it should be. With it you have the power to save someone's life or… end it once and for all. Magic is like that and so is the enemy. Never forget this, child. When the enemy comes do not join his cause, child, whatever he may promise you. Death is not the answer, it has never been"

"All of you" the herbalist continued, pointing at Laer and Adrian as well as all of the other riders, young and old alike, who had just arrived at the scene. "Listen to me now, and listen to me carefully. What I said before, is true. I do not have the power to save Alagaesia. But there are people here that do. If we stop the enemy then we may be able to return to Alagaesia and save the people there. There are more enemies of course, countless more, but that at least will stop the wheel from spinning, if only briefly…"

"But… I thought Eragon was going back to Alagaesia to face the danger himself" Tristan said emerging from the bushes, followed by Rikon, Maurine and Grohn.

The herbalist shook her head and looked at Kayla. "Tell them. Tell them about your dream"

Kayla bit her lip before she faced the riders. "Eragon and the rest of the riders are dead. It was during the storm last night… Shadow wyrms attacked them, lightning struck…"

"Which means that the shadow wyrms will no longer attack Alagaesia but will attack here, first, instead" the herbalist added.

"This can't be" Mirin the Master of History and Ancient Language whispered, appearing to be out of breath. "May Helzvog protect us all"

The herbalist gave him a knowing look for a second while half-smiling and then she shook her head.

"Tell us what happened, old one. Tell us what to do" Idel said.

"The day has still to pass were one will best me but I am afraid that this new enemy might be my match. I promise you though, I will not repeat my past mistakes" she said. "The barriers you placed around the island… Make them stronger. If I managed to come through them, so will they. The wild dragons in Ramirblaka. Will they help us?"

"I am afraid our current standing with the wild dragons is complicated" Octavian said and pressed his toned arms against each other, making his golden earrings ring.

"Uncomplicate it then! The enemy will attack this week. We need every help we can get and quickly. The fastest dragon should fly there and ask for their help"

Tristan stepped forth and Vertigo landed next to him, his wings encompassing his rider. "That would be us. We can set off for Ramirblaka now"

"Adrian and Mars. You will accompany Tristan and Vertigo. If anything goes amiss, do not stay. Return to us as swiftly as possible. Bringing the wild dragons to our aid is the aim but keeping all you riders safe is just as important" Octavian whispered.

The two riders and dragons nodded and without further due rode their dragons and set off.

"Splendid. Now… Which of you will accompany me to Murtagh?" the herbalist asked.

Rikon raised his eyebrows to Grohn, looking utterly lost. "Wait? What? How? How does she know everything?"

The Urgal only smiled and raised his arms in the air. "Only the Gods know how"

…

By the time they reached Eomhill the sun was atop them, half-hidden by a few remaining dark clouds from yesterday's storm. The herbalist stormed into the infirmary and rushed up the stairs to where Murtagh's room was.

As soon as she walked in, she covered her nose with two fingers.

"It stinks" she complained.

"He has been like this for days now" Idel, said. "The magic that seeps from his wounds…"

"Is as dark and complicated as the creature who wields it" the herbalist continued.

Even though the rest of the riders had been asked to leave the room, Kayla and Laer had been asked to stay.

"You, the blonde one, come close" the herbalist said to Kayla who came forth, feeling slightly intimidated. "What do you feel?"

"Darkness. Emptiness" Kayla replied quickly, having felt the same emotions before when she had first been in contact with this type of dark energy.

"Ayah. I want you to be my anchor. When I delve into this madness I may not have the power or positivity to come back forth. You need to pull me back" the herbalist said.

Kayla shivered, remembering her dreams of blood and horror, and dragons…

_Blood. Crunch. Bones. _

"No. I am not the right person for this" Kayla said, swallowing hard and taking a few steps back.

The herbalist sighed and then locked eyes with the girl.

_There are happy memories in you as well, _the herbalist's voice whispered.

Indeed, Kayla's thoughts changed and soon she saw herself flying, surrounded by white fluffy clouds. She was with Aiedail and other creatures, unknown creatures, but she was happy. She then saw her mother as she held a big smile and danced around with Kayla while Tristan rolled his eyes.

_How do you know so much about me? How do you know so much about everything?,_ Kayla asked.

The herbalist smiled. _I have certain abilities that allow me to see things others don't. Quite similar to yours if I may say so. The problem is I often don't see enough._

"You, the one with the horns, come closer" the herbalist said just then but Laer bared his lips apart and stared at the woman with his two canines in plain sight, something he did not do often.

The herbalist let out a loud sigh and shook her head. "Don't be so dramatic. I only said what I saw. Now, I know you are good with herbs and potions. I want you to mix equal parts of _Dilia Velosa_ and _Hemileia vastatrix_. We need to wake him up"

In two quick steps Laer had mixed the two herbs together and had started spreading them across Murtagh's wounds and inner lips. The rider suddenly let out a loud scream. Somewhere, outside, Gwen's cry echoed throughout the corridor.

"Idel, make sure family members do not enter this vicinity. If we want this done, we need to do it properly" the herbalist advised.

"Blonde girl. I need you to grab my shoulder" she repeated.

Kayla stepped forward and did as she was told. Outside, Aiedail was flying impatiently.

Murtagh let out another loud scream just as the herbalist threw some dragon bones on the floor and started singing loudly in a complicated language, one which felt even older than the ancient language. Black smoke rose quickly from the wounds and clouded the room, blocking their vision. The smoke entered Kayla's lungs and she started coughing loudly. Maintaining her hold on the herbalist's shoulder suddenly became a difficult task.

"Don't let go!" Laer advised and she nodded. Not long after, the smoke felt like it was penetrating her skin and bones and Kayla shivered, remembering the Shade's attack and how it had felt, that cold-chocking feeling…

A bright spot appeared in her mind and Kayla opened her eyes to see Aiedail moving her wings back and forth trying to blow the smoke away, which, surprisingly, was working.

The herbalist's chants continued, but black smoke was no longer rising from the rider's wounds. Murtagh was still screaming but no longer in physical pain. He shouted the word Eragon at some point and then fell back to his bed.

The herbalist uttered one more phrase and then removed her hands from Murtagh's wounds. Her hands were blackened and all too soon she collapsed onto Kayla and then to the floor. Laer made an attempt to run to her side but the herbalist rose her arm.

"No. Heal him. His injuries are simple cuts and scratches. Nothing an old traditional spell and a few herbs cannot heal"

"Are you all right?" Kayla asked, unsure of what to do next.

The herbalist nodded and swallowed. "I am all right. Although I won't be able to cast such a spell again for the next few hours"

"You need energy. Let me give you some of mine" Kayla suggested but the herbalist shook her head quickly.

"No, child. You shall need it more than I"

"Angela?" a voice asked suddenly and the herbalist turned to the other side.

The red rider was awake and he was examining his wounds in mixed feelings; surprise and awe.

"Thank you" was his reply.

…

Despite the storm the previous night, the skies were now clear apart from a few dark clouds here and there but Tristan knew they posed no great danger.

Ramirblaka came into his view and Tristan held his breath again, taking in the magnificence of the scenery and the flying peaks.

_We are on a mission. Don't get distracted_, Adrian advised and Tristan nodded but nevertheless Vertigo rode atop an upward rift, climbing higher into the skies and getting lost between the clouds.

Vertigo took a few turns and started spiraling upwards, the clouds following his direction, changing.

_What are you doing? We need to speak to the wild dragons_, Adrian intersected and Vertigo nodded, flying downwards.

They met Adrian and Mars just before the wild dragons appeared in the horizon. One female and five male dragons greeted them, sniffing the other dragons curiously, but not attacking.

Slowly more dragons appeared and Tristan heard Adrian taking a deep breath of air.

_Whatever happens, do not move. One potentially offensive move and they will attack_, Mars advised and both Vertigo and Tristan nodded.

The consciousnesses of the wild eldunari approached them and both riders opened their minds to them.

_What is the purpose of your visit?,_ they asked.

The riders stayed silent, trying to decide amongst themselves who would speak first.

_Speak riders_, the Eldunari shouted again, exasperated.

_It is your help we seek, in defeating the enemy. It has come to our attention that the enemy will attack soon,_ Adrian said.

The eldunari said nothing to this and the wild dragons moved around them in a faster speed.

_This is a big thing you ask of us, riders. _

_Will you give us your aid? _

_This is no easy matter, riders. We will sleep on it and call counsel first thing tomorrow morning to decide_, a serious, deep voice said.

_It is growing dark, riders. I would suggest you sleep on the island tonight. Your dragons should join the wild dragons for the night. They have much to share,_ another eldunari consciousness spoke, one with a tone of voice, much smoother than the previous one.

_The riders will think something amiss has occurred. We can't contact them and let them know otherwise, Adrian said. _

_Surely the riders can wait a day_, the velvety smooth eldunari voice said and Adrian and Tristan nodded in agreement.

By the time they had reached Ramirblaka's headquarters, Tristan was fuming.

"I don't understand why they want us to stay and why our dragons cannot sleep with us. And what a way to phrase it! We could not have declined without insulting them" he said.

"Shush. You do not want to insult the old, wise dragons" Adrian said silently.

"No, I do not. But I have never been told I need to part from Vertigo" Tristan said and sat down on the cold, hard mattress of one of the five beds in Ramirblaka's headquarters.

Even though Ramirblaka belonged to the wild dragons, a small instalment had been built to house dragon riders in cases like this one. However, dragon riders had never slept in this building before. The building was cold, as it had never been heated before and no food supplies were present.

Having eaten nothing else than fruit, vegetables, grains and nuts over the past few months it came to Tristan as a surprise that he no longer craved meat, even though there was plenty on the island. As an elf, Adrian craved non-meat products as well, but, unfortunately, there were none to be found on the island.

Tristan laid down on the mattress and punched his side. "I am cold, hungry and tired. I am also separated from Vertigo"

Adrian walked to Tristan's bed side. "I feel the same as you but we must be patient. Our dragons will not be harmed"

Tristan nodded and tried to extend his consciousness to his dragon but the wild dragon eldunari had placed boundaries between them just for a night, for what reasons Tristan could not fathom.

Adrian started whispering some words in the ancient language and soon water had appeared in his pouch and also a handful of vegetable tubers. In just a few minutes Adrian had prepared a soup. He gave a wooden bowl to Tristan.

"Here. That will keep you full and warm for tonight" the rider promised.

Tristan nodded and started eating the soup. Despite the simple ingredients it tasted delicious.

"Thank you" Adrian said after Tristan shared his thoughts with him.

Tristan went for seconds and Adrian put his bowl on the side and started playing with a necklace on his neck.

The boy chewed a carrot and a potato loudly.

"What is this?" he asked Adrian in curiosity, pointing at the necklace.

The elf looked in the distance and removed the necklace from his neck. A single, round, golden pebble hung from the centre. Adrian smiled at the sight of it, a sad smile, and then caressed the pebble. He said a few words in the Ancient Language and with a few twists and turns from his fingers the pebble opened to reveal a drawing.

The drawing was of an elf and it was the most realistic thing Tristan had ever seen. It felt as if the elf in the drawing would jump out of the pebble at any moment now and he would start dancing. The male elf had long white hair, startling green eyes like Adrian's and his clothes screamed of his high status. He also had the most enigmatic of smiles.

"Is this your brother?" Tristan inferred but Adrian shook his head.

Remembering that elves were often a lot older than what they looked he asked his next question. "Your father?"

Adrian laughed.

"He was my partner. Only, I know not if he is still alive" the elf said.

Tristan raised his eyebrows, uncomfortably. "Partner? As in comrade?"

Adrian had a sad smile on his face as he shook his head again. "No. Partner. As in lover"

Tristan's mouth popped open. "But he is … He is a male elf"

"So?" Adrian asked and Tristan shook his head.

In Arhan village, only once had he seen two men together. It had been night time and they were walking the streets of Arhan in silence, hands locked together, heads against each shoulder. Tristan had looked at them, unsure of what to think and then someone had shouted something and guards had appeared. He remembered the guards' faces looking deadly serious when they told the two men to leave the village at once, otherwise serious action would have to be taken against them.

Never again had he seen two men together. Once, he had seen certain glances being exchanged by two boys during a village fair but nothing more than that. Because it was such a rare occasion, Tristan had never thought much about it.

Until now.

"It is not natural for men to be together" he whispered and Adrian looked at him in surprise and disappointment.

"This is the first time I have told a human of this. I should have known humans would not understand" the elf said and threw his wooden bowl to the side. Without further due he went to walk outside but Tristan rose from his bed.

"Adrian, wait! I did not mean to insult you!" he said and the elf looked at him with two eyebrows raised.

"You did not. It is your race that insults me. The beliefs of your race are skewed…" Adrian started.

"Explain to me, then. Explain to me, how and why" Tristan insisted.

Adrian stared at Tristan intently. "I am afraid I cannot. How can one explain love? And attraction? Surely you must be attracted to someone, or must have been attracted to someone at some point. You must know how this works"

"Yes. But …" Tristan began again only to be interrupted by Adrian.

"We, elves, are not attracted to appearances. We are attracted to souls. That's why when we love, our love is fiercer and stronger than any love humans, dwarves or Urgals can experience. Love sometimes is mistaken for fascination, attraction, excitement but it is none of those. Love stands in a category all by itself and needs none of those above feelings to go along with it. Love is a deep admiration and understanding that goes beyond mere days, weeks or years but can span centuries. Tell me, human. Have you experienced love of this degree?"

Tristan opened his mouth to reply with a yes but then closed it again. What he had with Gwen… Was that love?

"How can I know if I have experienced it?" Tristan wondered.

Adrian hmphed. "If you had, you wouldn't be asking me this. Love is a feeling shared by two. That's why one cannot love someone else without this love being returned. Most often than not, its excitement and fascination. Only that both of these tend to fade overtime. Like opening a gift for the first time. After owning this gift for longer than a year, however, it ceases to amaze you"

Tristan nodded. "I apologise again if I insulted you. You appear to know more about love than most humans do. However, I disagree with love having to be shared by two. Sometimes, love can only be one-sided"

"No. It is only when both parties share mutual feelings that they can truly open themselves to one another. Otherwise you only know one side of it"

Tristan said nothing to this for a few seconds, unsure whether he agreed with this statement or not. "You are lucky to have experienced such feelings. You must miss your partner much"

Adrian pressed his lips together, looked at Tristan and then bit his lower lip. "I worry for him. I am afraid he may be dead. But we are no longer together. As soon as Mars hatched for me we both knew that it would be impossible to stay together"

The rider said nothing to this. It was the first time that he had seen Adrian open up and he was afraid to insult him. Despite his first impression of Adrian, the elf appeared … wiser and not an arrogant, spoilt brat as he had initially thought.

Tristan lay on his bed and covered himself with the thick blanket. Adrian did the same on one of the other beds that was placed in Ramirblaka's headquarters.

"Have you ever been attracted to female elves?" Tristan asked Adrian curiously.

"Not so far. But that may be simply due to me not finding a female match suitable enough" Adrian said and with that he rolled to the other side of his bed, something that Tristan took as a sign that this conversation was over.

…

Murtagh was no longer in grave danger but he did not look strong enough to walk or rise from his bed. Gwen was the first to enter his chamber.

"Father" she screamed and rushed to his side.

Gwen spoke quickly, tears spilling from her amber eyes.

Not wanting to disturb this family moment, Kayla and Laer helped the herbalist out of Murtagh's chamber.

"Thank you, Angela" Murtagh repeated once again and the woman nodded, walking forth slowly.

Rikon, Grohn and Maurine were waiting for them on the door.

"Holding Gwen out of the room required all three of us. And even then, Gwen was not using any magic. If she had, I don't think it would have been possible to hold her off" Grohn said to Laer but Rikon stepped forward, looking excited.

"Wait, you are Angela? _The Angela_? The dwarves have written books about your feats!" Rikon said.

The woman raised an eyebrow and half smiled. "Have they now? I always thought Dwarves were the race that liked me the least"

"Well to be honest they were Elvish books translated into the Dwarwish language but… Is it true that you were Tenga's apprentice?" Rikon continued as the riders walked out of Eomhill.

Angela held onto Kayla's shoulders tighter and let out a loud breath. "It appears like the elves have been busy writing tales"

"So you weren't Tenga's apprentice?" Rikon continued as the herbalist sat on the ground, outside of Eomhill.

Aiedail was there and she quickly went to stand next to Kayla, lifting her wings a few inches from the ground. _Don't use dark magic again. _

_Its not as if I had a choice,_ Kayla intersected.

Angela pushed the girl's arm away from her and stared intently at Rikon.

"Yes I was Tenga's apprentice, may a thousand rats claw at his bellybutton until he dies" she said and spat on the ground.

Rikon moved a few steps back. "Why do you hate him so much? From what I have heard he is a wise man"

Angela laughed. "Man he is not and wise he may be but to whoever else it may concern other than himself"

She paused for a few seconds, rose from the ground, took a deep breath and then continued. "Tenga always liked his little puzzles. I was such a puzzle as well for a while, adored and spoilt, educated to perfection, until one day, I was not. Tenga is wise and sees things no other man can, but more often than not fails to see what is right in front of him. That's why I hate him"

So taken Kayla had been by Angela's story that she hadn't realised they had reached the outskirts of Glieonard.

"It is growing late riders and I require much needed rest. We shall resume tomorrow. I shall need every ounce of strength you can spare so we can make the boundaries ten times stronger. Mayhap that will keep the enemy at bay, if only for a little while" Angela concluded, looking at the dark sky.

She walked to the nearest tower and entered inside in a few quick steps.

"Right. That was interesting" Grohn said and with a wave he, Rikon and Maurine said goodbye to the riders.

Kayla walked silently back to the human dorm with Laer on her side and Onyx and Aiedail in the skies.

"Who is she, Laer?" Kayla couldn't help but ask.

She saw Laer hesitating and she stood in front of him. "Do not lie to me. Back at the shores of Dis Atilan, she told you her true name, did she not?"

Laer hmphed. "What is it to you? What difference will it make?"

Kayla pressed her lips together. "I feel a connection to her"

Laer smiled. "As do I"

"Why?" Kayla continued.

"Mayhap she will soon tell you"

Kayla smiled in turn. "Why does everything have to be a mystery with you?"

"Mysteries make life interesting, don't you think?"

"Like Tenga's little puzzles?" Kayla inferred.

"Exactly" Laer answered and stepped inside the human dorm.

He extended his arm to Kayla and she took it. She was back inside the dorm but Laer's hand was still on her arm. She did not shake it off.

"We are alone" she whispered, suddenly realising the full weight of what this meant.

"Alone, other than our dragons" Laer continued and smiled.

Then he stopped, his expression serious once again, his irises widening and turning golden, his lips apart. In one single movement of his, he brought Kayla close to his chest and then stopped, moving his arm alongside her back in slow movements.

Kayla let out a small breath in surprise. When had her feelings for Laer changed? When had they become something other than friends? Why was she not resisting this urge as she usually did?

_The enemy approaches, my mother is in danger as are all the people, the riders and dragons in Alagaesia, and all I can think about is him._

_When does the water become more alive and runs faster and more dangerously? During a bright sunny day or when a storm is dwelling?, _Aidail asked calmly.

_You do not disapprove?, _Kayla wondered.

_Why should I? Unless he attempts to hurt you I have no reason to think otherwise._

"Wait" Kayla whispered and tried to push Laer's hands away from her back.

Laer stopped as soon as she said those words and raised his hands in the air, as if in surprise.

"Strange. I have not faced rejection before" he looked at Kayla with fascination and Onyx let out a loud growl that made the hairs on Kayla's arms rise.

"How many have you tried to seduce?"

"None. They all come to me" he said and smiled, his goat horns visible amongst the river of straight black hair.

"All?" Kayla asked again but Laer said nothing in response only smiled once again and slowly, torturously slowly, brought his hands onto her shoulders, raising them to her chin and bringing her face closer to his.

They were only a breath away.

"We cannot do this" Kayla whispered, trying to resist the urge that burned deep inside of her.

"Why?" Laer asked and paused once again, smiling, bringing his lips closer to her only to quickly move away.

Kayla let out a loud struggled breath, feeling caught, like prey falling directly onto the spider's wed.

"Because there are other things, more important things we have to do" she whispered, knowing immediately that this was the weakest excuse she could have ever come up with.

"No" Laer said, a single word and smiled once again, his nose running down her neck while Kayla let out another struggled breath. "I can see it in your own eyes. You want more than what you let on. Your heart is beating faster than a rabbit's. You want this. Tell me what you want"

Air rushed through her lungs and escaped her half open lips. "I shall tell you. Only if you tell me what you are. Only if you tell me where you come from. Only if you tell me where your loyalties lie and why we are the same"

Laer paused and looked into her eyes again. "My mother named me Laerkarnadir. It is elvish and urgal. It means the song of a man's revenge. Family, justice, love. These are the values guiding my blade. This truth is written in blood and the shadows are where I strike"

His goat horns started changing, almost becoming longer, his eyes glowing golden, his black hair shining darker and with one swift move of his, he spun her around and pressed her against the wall.

A loud cracking noise echoed through the human dorm and Onyx appeared next to them, taking down with him half of the building. The dragon's eyes shone with malice and protection and his paw pushed Kayla back, throwing her to the other side of the wall.

Kayla fell down, injuring her left shoulder in the process, but not before Aiedail came standing in front of her. She growled loudly at the black dragon, her mouth open ready to set everything ablaze if need be.

Onyx was ecstatic, he was moving fast, growling loudly breaking everything in front of him, his teeth snapping only to open his lips moments later.

Kayla took her dagger out.

"No" Laer said raising his arm in the air and trying to calm Onyx down. He rode the beast and Onyx walked out of the human dorm fast, destroying another half of the building with this.

With no further due the dragon took to the air.

Kayla stared after them, still feeling the burning remnants of a warm feeling in her chest.

_What just happened?_

….

It was the first rays of sun that awoke Tristan. Without further due he went to get Adrian but the elf was already outside, waiting for him.

They both run to the edge of the cliff were the wild dragon meeting was to take place. Vertigo and Mars were waiting for them.

"Vertigo!" Tristan bellowed and held his dragon muzzle close to his chest. However, his dragon was silent.

_What happened?,_ Adrian inferred.

_I am afraid the wild dragons have voted against joining us,_ Mars said.

_Why?,_ Tristan asked, his mouth popping open.

_They say it will be dangerous. They say the riders have stolen enough wild dragons as it is and they no longer wish to sacrifice more,_ Mars added.

_What is the meaning of this?,_ Tristan asked angrily.

The wild dragons faced him with obvious irritation.

_Our decision on this is solid. However, if you do wish to request sanctuary we shall grant it to you. Only to you two and the purple dragoness, though. You were of wild noble blood,_ the eldunari said.

_I have heard enough,_ Tristan said and climbed atop Vertigo's back.

_We shall head back to Dis Atilan. Thank you for granting us stay in Ramirblaka for the night and hearing our plead. We need to make preparations for battle,_ Adrian said.

_Fair well, Vertigo son of Klithea and Vron, brother to Aiedail and Mars, brother of Biford. And remember, whatever happens you are always welcome here_, the wild dragon eldunari said.

Vertigo rose to the skies once again and was followed by Mars. They started flying fast, hoping to return to Dis Atilan before midday.

Dis Atilan soon became visible in the horizon but it was immediately evident that something was amiss.

"The barriers have been breached" Tristan whispered and Adrian nodded, pointing at two dragons and one shadow wyrm attacking one of the borders.

"The war is here"

….

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I had to submit a very important piece of work last week. But now, its done and I can write more chapters. Its already been more than a year since I started this story and I promise that I intend to finish it soon, hopefully in the next 4 chapters or so. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and who prompted me to write some more: BEST OC MAKER, Howtobook101 and DogLover.**


	47. Not black, not white, just grey

** Not black, not white just grey**

"Water" he whispered and she rushed to bring him some.

Arya opened the pouch which was strapped across Firnen's saddle, looking for waterskins only to return back to the rider's side empty handed. More than half of their supplies had been lost during the battle with the Shadow wyrms across the Saphire Sea linking Dis Atilan to Alagaesia. Some of their losses also included the Eldunari.

The Saphire Sea was vast, larger than Alagaesia itself and finding the particular spot where the Eldunari had fallen, was near impossible for most. Riders, magicians and elves would have an easier time finding them, if only the fallen Eldunari had wanted to be found.

Arya had not forgotten how Eragon had strapped some of them with magic behind Firnen and Saphira. "For good measure" he had said to her before they departed from Dis Atilan but for whatever reason the Eldunari would not respond to their touch or questions. Eragon had said that they did not agree with his choice and had chosen instead to remain silent. Only Glaedr had acknowledged their presence, but nothing more. During the battle with the Shadow wyrms, Glaedr had also been the only Eldunari to aid her somewhat, providing her with energy to cast her spells.

_Little good it did the riders_, Firnen said, sounding disappointed.

Of course both her and Eragon could have bound the Eldunari to their will if they so wished, but both knew what a terrible thing that would be. And yet, during their moment of despair, that thought had crossed Arya's mind more often than she wished to admit. She had not acted on her thoughts, though, and at the moment it was hard to know if it had been the right choice.

_So many riders dead, simply because the Eldunari refused to help us_, Arya thought, perplexed.

_Humans, Dwarves, Urgals… They are all vermin, sucking the life out of this earth faster than a bee sucks the nectar from a blooming flower. Alagaesia was not meant for them, they settled here because they were allowed to settle here, but they have forgotten that this earth does not belong to them and they are destroying it_ …. Giglandez, Orofan's rider had whispered into her mind before she had thrust her sword into his chest and ripped his heart out with her bare hands.

She had acted upon her feelings then, not able to comprehend what was at play as she watched Eragon and Saphira falling upon the large white waves. Her only thought had been one of revenge as she could not bear watch the second person she had loved dying at the hands of her enemies.

Even before Arya had left the elvish territory to aid the Varden against Galbatorix, she had known that she had been different, experiencing feelings elves often brushed away or refused to acknowledge. This was further strengthened by the many years spent with the company of humans and dwarves who were quick to shout in angry voices and even quicker to laugh, delighted at something funny.

_He is as good as dead,_ the ever calculating and serious Urgal Giglandez had whispered inside her ear as he died but Arya had not listened.

Firnen had dived to the sea, faster than a hawk diving for prey and had grabbed Saphira by her neck, with large black talons and sharp white teeth; though he was gentle, aiming to help and not kill. With the help from both of them, Saphira and Eragon had been escorted to the nearest land and had lain there ever since.

If Arya had to put her finger and guess where they were she would have said at the shores of the Dawning Gulf, south of the Beor Mountains. The Dawning Gulf took its name after some elves who had accompanied Eragon to Dis Atilan, Meera, Bigran and Vaish. They had sailed the Saphire Sea daring to go as east as the sea permitted, trying to chase the sun's Dawn.

Indeed, the first day that the sea had washed them on the shores, the dawn had blinded Arya and Firnen and they had had to shield their eyes to protect them from the brightness of the sun. It was a welcome sight, compared to the previous night which had been dark and full of shadows clawing at their chests.

Giglandez had been one of the first Urgals to be selected as Dragon Riders. Arya still remembered the shock and awe of the young, then, Urgal male who had looked upon his pale yellow dragon as if he had been the rising sun. This was the only emotion Arya had seen him experience. She had escorted him to the shores of Surda, wishing him the best of luck but even then the Urgal had been cold, distant and deadly serious. Reports from Meera and Vaish told her that Giglandez had completed his training quickly, rising to the title Master of Sparring, soon, sooner than she would have liked.

No one could deny that the Urgal was a good swordsman; some argued that he was too good. None had ever voiced their doubts though, opting instead to follow his lead. He was calculating, clever and surprisingly just. Diriwan, the dwarf who had died the previous night at his hands, had been one of his students. During one of her visits to Ellesmera, the dwarven rider had told Arya how one of the students had taunted her once because she had been short and Giglandez had told that particular student to stay upright for two days, while the rest of the students could sit down and gaze up to him.

Most of the Urgals Arya had encountered had yellow eyes but Giglandez had had the strangest pale shade of yellow in his eyes, both cold and calculating. Nonetheless, when he had spoken to her after Eragon and Saphira had been struck down by lightning, he had been almost gentle, his eyes betraying his genuine intentions.

_Leave him be, Arya,_ he had said. _He was a foolish youth, playing with powers greater than he imagined. Already the earth weeps with what he has done. Join me and join the others. You are of elvish heritage, surely you must understand what awaits Alagaesia if the humans continue to savage this land. Peace there may be but the number of dwarves, Urgals and humans has almost doubled in the last twenty years. It needs to stop._

Giglandez had told her more, of how the elves had sided with the shadow wyrms while she was unawares, of how the Dwarven clans were uprising against their new King and the Queen of Alagaesia but she had refused to believe him.

She had attacked him with a ferocity that surprised even Firnen, as he later confessed to her, driving her silver blade towards him.

_There is no right or wrong. No black and white. There is only… grey_, he had said while they were sparring, maintaining a mental conversation with her even though she chose to ignore him. And indeed, his actions followed his words. To him this was war, nothing more, nothing less.

"Water" Eragon whispered to her again, bringing her back from her strain of thoughts and went to grab at the sleeve of her tunic but she quickly brushed his hand away.

What little water they had left she had used to clean his wounds. What little power and energy she had left she had used to heal his injuries. There was no more left, not even in the great green dragon.

As the blinding sun fell on them, making her throat burn and itch, Arya wished she could use the spell that Eragon had taught her once to summon water from the ground, only she could not.

"Water" the Master Dragon Rider said in such a low voice that it was barely audible.

Arya brushed the stray hairs from his face and moved his body sideways so it would not burn from the sun. What remained of his now, useless legs, dangled after him.

"Soon" Arya croaked and as she looked at the blazing midday sun she wished with all her heart for rain.

….

Kayla had fallen asleep in one of the desks in the Library in Glieonard. Yes, there were plenty of beds in Dis Atilan including her own in the human dorm, but she had wished to sleep alone contemplating her thoughts.

She should have woken earlier and was perplexed to find herself sleeping atop two big books, one named _The History and Folklore of Alagaesia_ and the other _Gods and Deities. _Despite her fears of imminent war, her dreams had been clouded by images of dancing water spirits and herself dancing among them.

Kayla picked one of the books she had been reading and looked it over, quickly skimming it from front to cover, trying to remember why she had chosen to read those books. She may have paid more attention to them if not for the sudden cold choking feeling that rocked through her core, the island of Dis Atilan rocking with it. It felt as if a gigantic invisible wave had just crushed her and a dreading feeling settled over her.

When she went outside of the library she understood the cause of it. The streets of Glieonard were alive with movement as riders, dragons and the elves and dwarves of the shore were running around, panicked, throwing shields, mail plates, swords and other weapons to the riders.

Angela was with them as well, dressed in black and green, in armour that glittered every time a ray of sun fell upon it.

"I told them to use more intricate spells!" Mirin complained exasperated, looking at the sky. His orange hair and beard were combed and braided and he was wearing a bronze mail plate with a relatively long but thick sword of similar colour. It was a two-handed sword, the hilt of it was strapped with dark brown leather and its sides were ornamented with wild bears and fires.

"The first boundary would break sooner or later as will the others. You cannot change the past only prepare for the future" Angela said with a hint of a smile.

Mirin sighed exasperated once again, his dislike for the herbalist evident. He was ready to utter something when he noticed Kayla standing at the entrance of Glieonard's library.

"Why do you not have a sword?" he asked and pointed at her outfit which was a simple pair of trousers and a loose white-grey linen shirt, the same outfit she had worn the previous day. "Did you not feel the first boundary breaking?"

His tone was rushed and he looked nervous and scared as he tapped his foot on the ground. Angela looked at him and started laughing, much to the dwarf's displeasure who narrowed his eyes at her. From the corner of her eye she saw a dark river of hair moving.

"Catch!" Laer shouted and instinctively Kayla went forward and almost fell to the ground trying to catch the blade that the rider had thrown at her.

She stood up and brushed the dirt from her knees with her left hand while holding the blade on her right. It was a one handed blade, shining bright sliver, slim and elegant. The hilt was decorated with small diamonds around the base and some further up, towards the blade. Her grip was clumsy and the sword seemed to move quicker than she intended.

"Its too light" Kayla said in a careful tone, not wanting to sound disrespectful.

"Then we shall find you a heavier blade and see what happens when the enemy comes close to you and you are not able to lift it to defend yourself…" Mirin started, his cheeks red and flushed.

"Look at her. The girl does not know how to wield a blade" Angela commented.

Kayla was about to protest when she saw Aiedail landing next to her. The purple dragon was strapped in silver mail covering her from head to tail. As her wings opened up to steady herself her scales and mail glittered like a thousand stars.

_I don't like it. It's too heavy. Flying will not be easy_, she told Kayla and lifted one of her front legs suspiciously.

Rikon run in front of them out of breath and also covered in mail, which seemed to have been tailored just for him.

"Idel and the twins estimate that the shadow wyrms will break the second boundary within the hour. She wants everyone in the Grand Hall to discuss battle plans" the boy said quickly and then run back inside.

Mirin swore under his breath and followed Rikon and Laer. Kayla went to follow them but the herbalist grabbed her arm forcefully.

"Look at me" Angela demanded and Kayla did as she was bid.

The herbalist's nails dug into her skin. She gasped in pain and Angela released her.

Kayla took a few steps back looking at the other woman suspiciously but she only gave a gentle smile in response. "You are not meant to wield a blade. You have been trained to use a staff and so you will"

Angela pulled out of its sheath, a long weapon she had strapped across her back, the like of which Kayla had never seen. It looked like the two-handed staff she had used during her training with Maud, only this was different with a sharp blade at either end of it.

The herbalist threw it at Kayla and the girl caught it with seemingly no trouble, even though she was beginning to get annoyed with everyone throwing her things.

_They can always just give me things instead of throwing them_, she complained in Aiedail's mind and the dragon made a snoring sound that almost resembled laughter.

Nevertheless, Kayla balanced the stuff in both hands, enjoying the weight of it. The middle part of the stuff was covered with a dark brown, almost black leather which surely aided the person wielding it. Kayla had expected the staff-sword to be made out of wood but instead she found that the weapon was made with something else entirely. She could not put her finger down on what the material was, but she grazed her thumb and index down the sides of it, feeling the carvings, until she reached the blades which were also covered in carvings.

"I have never seen anything like it" Kayla said, breathless.

Angela smiled. "You have the blood of Gods running through your veins and you need to wield a weapon which is no less than you. This staff is called Hûthvír and it is used by the dwarf priest clan Dûrgrimst Quan. I might add that they were not very pleased to part with it but nevertheless I won it fair and square. It took me years to learn how to wield it skilfully and I doubt you will be an expert at it but you will have better luck with this than a normal sword"

Kayla stared at the woman with an open mouth, her heart beating quickly inside her chest, not quite sure as to how to respond to what the herbalist had said. By then Angela was almost inside Glieonard's Grand Hall but Kayla run quicker than she could have ever hoped and stood in front of the woman, grabbing her arm forcefully.

She swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"

Angela's bouncy hair fell in front of her face. "Simply that you need quite some practise. Make no mistake though I want the weapon back and ideally in its current form. Of course I do have Tinkledeath at hand but how will I be able to taunt the dwarven priests without their staff?"

"Tinkledeath…? No… That's not what I meant. I don't have the blood of Gods running through me. Gods don't even exist" Kayla whispered and Angela looked at her with a small smile.

"Did you not know? Strange. Urgralgra did" she said and then moved her hand in the air as if to brush it off. "We need to go in the Grand Hall before the second boundary breaks"

Kayla released the herbalist's arm and stared after her form as she walked inside. Her hands held on the staff tightly, until her knuckles turned white.

"Thank you" she finally said and walked inside the building deciding to think upon what the herbalist had said later.

Aiedail growled in response, the dragon's thoughts mingled with her own, thinking about heritage and bloodlines.

Kayla shook her head angrily.

No this was war. That was the only thought that should occupy her mind. And yet inside the Grand Hall, the storm of people took her by surprise. Someone took her by the hand and led her near the Glazing Waters, which acted as a shield to the vault with the dragon eggs. Before long someone must have dressed her in mail plate, because she soon stared down at herself and noticed she was in full gear with three daggers strapped on her ankles and another two at the sides of her waist.

But how could it be? It made no sense. Her mother and father… Were they Gods? Were they descendants of Gods? No… That could not be right. Her father had died in front of her and her mother looked ill and tired most oft than not. If they had been Gods surely_ she_ would have known, surely _there_ would have been a sign, surely _they_ would have been powerful, able to fend of all opponents. Yet, her father had died at the hands of a white ancient creature the likes of which she had never seen before. She had been there. She had watched the dragon rip her father to pieces.

But what if it was true? Did her brother also share the blood of Gods?

Another creeping thought started settling over her and she tried to brush it off but she could not. What if her parents weren't her parents? What if her mother had been unfaithful?

"Kayla?" Maurine asked, looking concerned.

The girl nodded and grabbed the shield from the floor that the dwarven girl had been holding mere seconds ago. Maurine gave it to her without protest and Kayla looked at her reflection.

She started from her long, blonde hair which fell down her shoulders in a straight line but curled at the edges, like her mother's hair, like Tristan's. She noticed her slender body, so similar to her mother's. Her eyes returned to the top of the shield - her head - and tried to see her facial characteristics. Her eyes were a deep blue-purple colour similar to all three of her family members, but not exactly the same. Her lips were pink and full, something which she must have inherited from her father as her mother's lips were smaller and thinner. Her nose was no bigger than either Tristan's or her mother's. Her face was slightly angular, almost like a mix between her mother's round face and her father's sharp jaws.

There was one way of knowing for certain. Kayla smiled uncertainly, looking at her reflection.

There was no doubt about it; she had her father's smile. She was her father's daughter as much as she was her mother's daughter. Whatever doubts she had, she put them at ease, assuming that the herbalist had been somehow mistaken.

"And then we will race them to the Southern part of the island, near stenr Abr Andlá. The ground is filled with sharp rocks and stones and they know not the territory as well as we. The volcano is situated on the North-Eastern part of Dis Atilan and they might attack us there but we will lead them here….." Gwen said pointing at the map with her sword "…and here"

"They will not attack us on the ground" Mirin protested but Octavian stepped forward smiling and shaking his head.

"They will. Even dragons grow tired of flying and both the wyrms and the dragons must have flown quite some distance before reaching Dis Atilan. Our dragons are well rested and fed. The battle will continue ashore before long. If the wild dragons join us then the enemy stands no chance"

_This is true_, Onyx added knowingly.

The mention of wild dragons made Kayla think of her brother and wished that he was nowhere near Dis Atilan and still strapped in Ramirblaka where at least he would somewhat safe.

"During this time Bigran and Vaish will channel the energy of the dwarves and elves of the shore to us. The young riders will stay on the ground unless otherwise advised…" Idel began but Grohn and Rikon both stepped forward looking angry.

"No" they said with a common voice.

_Never!,_ all of the young dragons repeated.

"We will not stand idly as our friends and Masters of Training die" Grohn said and Maya and May coughed, as if they shared a secret.

Grohn paid them no attention.

Idel sighed. "Eragon has given strict orders and you will only get in the way…"

"Eragon is most likely dead and the young riders will be of more help in the skies than on the ground" Angela inferred.

"They will die" Maud said, stepping inside the Grand Hall, prowling.

For a few seconds everyone held their breath until Maud continued. "They will die but we have no choice"

"I would rather die a rider's death in the skies fighting alongside my dragon, Haifen, than on the ground, chained and tortured like a slave" Grohn said and the rest of the young riders - one of them being Kayla - agreed.

The break of the second boundary settled the argument and the riders rushed to Glieonard's streets, where their dragons were already present, sniffing the air suspiciously.

Kayla heard a noise from somewhere above her and she looked up to see a shadow wyrm descending upon Glieonard. She held her breath, fearing for the worst but the creature only hit the boundary that encompassed Glieonard with force and was then blown back. The wyrm growled in annoyance and more shadow wyrms came to join him, trying to break the boundary as they crushed onto the invisible wall encompassing them. By that point everyone was looking up. The noise they made every time they bounced back from the boundary reminded Kayla of frying eggs.

_Ride your dragons, riders. It will do us no good if they have the higher ground,_ Octavian advised. Angela climbed upon Lenor and the Master of Sparring regarded her with caution.

"My aid will be needed more in the skies than on ground. I need to look upon the enemy and show him the strength we possess" the herbalist simply said.

A louder noise sounded and Kayla rose her head to the skies again, clutching the Hûthvír tightly in her palms. She could count at least twenty shadow wyrms and dragons and the way they fell…

They reminded her of a warm sunny day in the forests of the Spine. Recent rainstorms had formed a small lake and oblivious insects had fallen in its depths never to rise again. A flock of swallows had descended from the sky then, one after the other picking the dead insects and rising to the skies again, only to fall down seconds later.

Aiedail's warm breath caressed her skin and the girl climbed on her dragon, touching her scales coolly, her heart still racing inside her chest.

Suddenly, war and death were a lot more imminent than the night before.

_We shall live through this. We shall live and tell the tale of how we bested the enemy that even Eragon and Saphira themselves could not slay_, Aiedail said knowingly but Kayla was not so sure.

….

Tristan watched from afar as the shadow wyrms and dragons gathered and attacked Dis Atilan. Adrian and Mars were next to him gliding gently across the water. Adrian had cast an invisibility spell on them and for that, Tristan was glad. Despite the fact that they were cloaked in an invisibility spell, the two riders were still hiding behind a big rock near Dis Atilan. Even though he wished to join the fight he knew well enough that two riders against twenty and more dragons and wyrms would stand no chance. To make matters worse neither of the riders or dragons had mail plate or swords. The only weapons they carried was Tristan's wooden bow and Adrian's two daggers.

During their time atop the sea's surface, Tristan had watched how the wyrms assembled. Contrary to common belief, the shadow wyrms literally appeared out of thin air. Tristan had watched this event take place at least five times. A wyrm would suddenly appear in a specific spot near Dis Atilan looking as if it had been teleported. The same had occurred with two dragons.

"They have dragons with them!" he whispered surprised to Adrian who only nodded, never taking away his calculating gaze from the wyrms.

It seemed as if hours had passed when the second boundary broke and Tristan clutched his teeth together.

"I bet the herbalist helped them in casting these spells. Each boundary is different than the one before. They have used the previous boundaries as base only to further strengthen them. How the wyrms are able to break them is beyond me" Adrian.

"It is not the wyrms though… Its what controls them" Tristan replied but just then he watched the island blazing with light momentarily and blinding the wyrms.

He heard pained growls from the creatures and that made him reassess the situation. "They don't like the light. Why are they attacking in the middle of the day, then?"

"I know not" Adrian replied but just then the final boundary broke.

The impact of it rocked Tristan to the core and helplessly he watched as wyrms descended on Dis Atilan.

"This is our queue to leave" Adrian whispered although his actions screamed otherwise. He clutched the necklace he had around his throat tighter.

Vertigo was the first to climb into the skies with Tristan pressing his legs tightly around his dragon's waist. Even though the day had begun sunny and beautiful Tristan could see dark clouds gathering in the horizon.

His dragon's wings flapped quickly and Tristan pulled out the first arrows from his sheath. Tighten. Release.

His arrow caught a shadow wyrm right on its left eye and the creature fell towards the sea. Unfortunately that caused the rest of them to take notice they all descended on him at once. Vertigo climbed higher and higher trying to lose the wyrms. He reached the furthest point that he could go to without him fainting and waited for the wyrms. The creatures reached the altitude quickly but seemed unaffected from it.

Tristan released another three arrows just as a jet of black liquid was ejected from the wyrms and towards his direction. He let out a shout just as Vertigo dived to the side, avoiding the liquid and releasing a jet of flames which made the liquid catch on fire. From a distance it might have looked as if fire was descending from the skies, or maybe one of those fictional fire creatures, a phoenix.

While going down Tristan pressed another arrow on his bow, ready to fire his target but the fact that one of the wyrms had a rider caught him off guard.

There is a rider!, Vertigo exclaimed almost simultaneously as him and the blue dragon flew higher trying to discern the rider.

The rider was female and she looked familiar as the wyrm flew closer to Vertigo and she made an attempt to slice the dragon's wing.

She looked to be his age, with what may have once been a gentle face. Only now, it was obvious that she was a Shade and she tried to slash at Vertigo again but the dragon avoided her and let out a long jet of flames while climbing higher.

_Come catch me_, Vertigo thought and taunted the shadow wyrm, flying close to it and then away and then finally flying higher. The wyrm soon followed.

Tristan looked at the Shade again and she laughed. "Can you not remember me?"

He thought he did. "Natalie"

She had been the servant girl in Dras Leona. It felt like a lifetime had passed since then. How had she ended like this? Why?

He wished he could ask her but he had no time for this. Instead he attacked her again and she dodged easily.

Can you not remember me?, the Shade asked again, only this time in his mind.

Tristan shivered upon first contact with the Shade's mind and he tried to shield his thoughts away using the techniques he had thought from Idel, Maud, Octavin and Eragon.

He sung of a children's bedtime tune.

_Twinkle, twinkle little star_

_How I wonder what you are_

_Up above the world so high_

_Like a diamond in the sky_

_Twinkle, twinkle little star_

_How I wonder what you are_

What used to be Natalie laughed, as if he had said something funny but Tristan continued with his tune.

The Shade attacked him again but Vertigo was too high and suddenly flying became a hard task for both his dragon and the wyrm. He felt the nails of the Shade's consciousness trying to claw at him again and panicked he continued singing the tune but he could feel the creature probing deeper inot his consciousness.

Vertigo tried to aid him, singing along with him, that bedtime favourite tune of his, suddenly becoming a nightmare.

_Tristan!,_ he heard a voice and he felt his sister's consciousness pressing upon his own.

The Shade's face changed, becoming angry and horrified and before long Aiedail and Kayla were next to him with Kayla looking intently at the creature.

This time Natalie did scream and Tristan watched as the creature started clawing its skin, clawing the wyrm's skin, biting and writhing.

All the while Kayla's eyes never lingered, or else she would have seen the foreign dragon approaching. He had the darkest green colour Tristan had seen and a female Urgal rider was atop it. Tristan fired his arrows without warning, three in a row. None of them, however, reached their target as all of them were rebuffed by some protective spell. Vertigo fell upon the other dragon without any warming and the female Urgal turned to him, surprised.

Tristan continued firing arrows at her direction, noticing how none met their target but refusing to stop. Soon there were no arrows left in his sheath but Vertigo had his claws deep inside the other dragon's flesh while the other dragon was biting hard on Vertigo's left leg. Both were flapping their wings quickly but the ground was coming closer to them.

The female Urgal jumped from her dragon and onto his and Tristan knew he was cornered. He had no weapon other than his bow while she held a two-hand sword with a curved edge. She attacked him and Tristan dodged but she landed her blow on Vertigo's saddle as well, the tip of it hitting his scales as he writhed in pain.

Vertigo dived to the right and the other rider was thrown off balance while Tristan held on tightly. When her next blow came he dodged it with his bow which, however snapped in half. All the while Tristan gritted his teeth in the process and then used the splinters of wood to dodge more of her attacks but he knew that she was playing with him as a cat plays with a mouse.

Angrily, he threw himself of Vertigo and onto the opponent dragon. He dove the end of his bow where it was splintered into the soft spot between neck and belly and the other dragon growled loudly while Vertigo dove to the left and right the female rider being thrown off balance and then spiralling downwards. Tristan held on tightly to the other dragon until neither rider nor dragon could hold on to Vertigo any longer.

The female rider was thrown off first and her dragon released Vertigo's leg after chasing after his owner. Just before he did Tristan threw himself off and Vertigo rushed to meet him.

Boy and dragon met mere inched before a sharp rock and then Vertigo started climbing upwards but the climb felt slower than usual, Vertigo's injuries slowing him down.

Another wyrm attacked them from the side but Vertigo dived to the left and then right but he was slow to do so and the wyrm managed to hit both of them with its tail.

They fell towards the earth with Vertigo trying to steady their fall as much as possible. They had never had a more unsteady landing. Tristan slid to Vertigo's side. The dragon was breathing heavily.

_I can still fly. Just not as fast,_ he said but Tristan bit his lip and pressed his palms on the dragon.

Above them fire and black jet liquid descended and Vertigo moved to the side pushing Tristan with him. Tristan had more scratches on his arms and legs than he could count and he wished… He wished that no wyrms would attack them… Not now…

He heard someone approaching him at the same time as Vertigo and clutching his broken bow he prepared whoever came to the death. His eyes were in slits, his legs apart, and his fighting stance obvious.

He shouldn't have worried. A groups of elves and dwarves approached him, the dwarves and elves of the shores. Silently they pressed their hands on Vertigo's side and together they chanted _Waíse heill _over and over again until Vertigo's wounds had healed and some of his previous energy had returned.

The dragon stoop up and then bowed to the healers.

Thank you, he said in their minds and they nodded.

One of them, an elf Tristan knew by name due to his wolvish appearance, Blödhgarm, approached him. "Rider, wait"

From his bag he produced a bow which was long, dark and elegant, with curled tips and decorated with a pattern of dogwood leaved inlaid in silver.

"It appears you are in need of a bow and that just might do" the elf said. Tristan received the precious gift in both hands and wished he would use something else instead in battle as the chance of him breaking this bow as he had done with his previous one was high.

"This bow was sung to life by Queen Islanzadí herself. Whatever weapon is used against it, it will not break" Blödhgarm reassured him and Tristan nodded, thanking him and the elven Queen for its making.

"Why?" Tristan couldn't help but ask as Blödhgarm gifted him with a sheath of silver arrows.

The elf was silent. "It was given to Eragon as a gift by the Queen herself and so he chose to gift it to you when the time came and you were in need of a weapon"

Blödhgarm's tone almost seemed displeased and Tristan could not blame him as this was an honor he did not deserve. No doubt the elf wanted the bow for himself.

Nevertheless he said nothing as boy and dragon took to the air once again. His encounter with the elves and dwarves could not have lasted longer than mere minutes and yet in that amount of time the weather had changed to a point where no one could have known that it had been bright and sunny.

Dark, dark clouds covered the horizon and a few rain droplets started falling on his face as he rose higher and higher only to soon fall.

….

**A/N: Next chapter is almost finished, it just needs some editing. In the meantime I have made two dragon related videos on youtube if you want to check them out. Just search for sblack on youtube, it should be the 15th channel down. Next chapter should be posted again within the next 2 weeks. Dont forget to follow/fav and leave reviews!**


	48. The battle of the Changing Weather

**Chapter 48 – The battle of the Changing Weather**

Kayla could feel the Shade's thoughts inside her, a thousand different voices screaming at her all at once. Yet she drowned each of them, twisting its ugly head until it was nothing more than the faint whisper of the wind, all the while watching the Shade writhe in pain.

Before long, wyrm and Shade were falling down, towards the sharp rocks below, and Kayla exhaled loudly and closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath and free herself from the dark thoughts she had encountered. When her eyes opened again, she realised her hands were shaking.

Aiedail growled in concern which only brought two shadow wyrms closer, but at least only one had a rider. The she-dragon flew higher but her movements were slow and measured, the mail plate weighing her down. In three quick strokes of their wings, the wyrms were at level with them.

The purple dragon growled loudly once more and ejected a long stream of flames, but the wyrms moved to the other side avoiding the burn. The sun still shone brightly and fell on every inch of Aiedal, making her sparkle. Oftentimes Kayla had to shield herself from the sun as well.

And that's when the idea hit both her and the dragon. She flew towards the sun and the wyrms followed, but slower than before. Kayla looked back and she could see that they were blinded.

Smiling, Aiedail flew higher and then lower, all the while keeping level with the sun. Kayla turned backwards from the saddle and faced her enemies. The wyrms were ejecting jets of black liquid, but none hit home due to the range of protective spells placed around herself and the dragon. It was her turn to attack. Kayla looked around her, weighing her options on how best to use her energy.

Only, that just then, clouds started gathering fast around them, shielding the sun and their cover. Kayla swore loudly and Aiedail growled as the shadow wyrms caught up with them. Cold rain droplets fell on her face and Kayla brushed them away.

Then she paused, holding one of the rain droplets in her fingers, while the Shade was shouting commands to the wyrms, but they appeared unwilling to cooperate.

"_Adurna moi, yauna du froman abr thringa_" she whispered and then felt the tendril of energy inside her coming to life as she commanded the air's moisture to bundle together and form rain droplets, small, big and then bigger, engulfing the two shadow wyrms and Shade.

There was only one way to kill a Shade and that was by piercing their heart, but as Kayla snapped her fingers together and the water returned at once into its previous form, the pressure was enough to erupt the creatures' bodies inside it. When the rain fell into the sea only a dark shape remained from the previous shades and wyrms.

Pleased with herself, she turned around to face her next enemy only to find that they were being attacked by two fronts. She had felt the drain of energy when she had used the spell, but she had not suspected that it was also due to the sustained attacks that Aiedail was trying to fend off. The spells protected the dragon both from attacks of magic and fire but also from arrows, blades and other dragons.

And there was a dragon attacking them now, one of dark black colour, dark like midnight. The dragon was gigantic, with a size ten times that of Saphira's. Both herself and Aiedail gasped at the monstrosity of the creature.

Other riders were trying to attack the dragon. She saw Idel landing a blow on him but the black dragon seemed not in the least bit concerned with that, with a reaction befitting an attack of a fly on a human.

That of annoyance and nothing more.

_An ancient dragon, I am, oh yes_, the black dread whispered silently into her mind and made the hairs on her arms rise.

The rain would have come nonetheless, but the water that fell on her skin then, chilled her to the core. She watched the other dragon's jaws opening and shutting mere inches from where Aiedail had been. The purple dragon had been wise enough to climb above.

_A game of chase we play is that what is it? I like such games,_ the dragon repeated and with an agility which did not match his size he turned around and started chasing Aiedail.

Despite the protective spells placed around her dragon, every time the black's tail swung in their direction, Kayla had to hold her breath and hope that they would keep. The loss of energy she felt with every attack of black's, was greater than what Kayla would have liked.

_Blood. Bones. Crunch, _the dragon whispered into her mind and Kayla stared at him, unsure as to how the dragon knew. But it knew. And this fact made her want to run away and scream and cry. She wanted to hide under her pillow and pretend that the danger was not there now, that it never was.

Aiedail's snort brought her back and she dug her nails into the inside of her palm.

_I have a plan. If we manage to go below him he will never see us_, the she-dragon said and Kayla nodded, following the plan, but unsure if she would be able to attack the creature when the time came.

_The white dragon killed your father. If you do not kill the black one he will kill more of your loved ones, until none is left. Do you want to let him do that?, _Kayla thought to herself.

With what little energy she had left she turned the rain droplets into daggers and attacked the creature. She expected the black dragon to wince in pain, but he gave no response other than a faint growl.

_Is that the best you have?,_ he asked and just then, from the boy's hands on his back, a sea of dark arrows exploded.

_Black magic,_ Aiedail said and Kayla agreed as both parties felt the coldness of it and watched as the arrows rebounded back from them, leaving Kayla more exhausted than before. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably now and she felt ready to faint. Her eyelids half closed, but she watched as another black dragon descended upon the larger one and bit his tail, again and again.

The larger dragon growled irritated, while Laer came to attack the Shade on its back. Even though the Shade on the Dragon's back appeared to be young, his skill in battle was that of centuries and Laer had a hard time keeping up with him.

Kayla noticed that Laer had his own blade, a sword which could be wielded with one and two-hands depending on the situation. Its blade was thick and long with serrated edges on the sides. Laer's blade reached the boy and suddenly she heard a cry and the boy was fighting weakly as if he had no power at all. Laer drove his blade inside the boy's shoulder. For a second, a sense of protection for the boy engulfed her, wanting to fight for his safety but knowing that he was a shade she dismissed this thought.

She looked away while Laer prepared to make the final blow, but the boy slipped from the dragon's back and started falling towards the ground. Would he die? Only if his heart was somewhat pierced. Kayla wanted to go after him and finish him off, or save him she did not know which of the two, but the black dragon bit at Aiedail's tail, missing it only by a few inches and the thought of the boy-Shade soon left her.

If she paused to feel guilty of all the deaths she might have caused, they would never win.

The purple dragon joined Onyx and soon Vertigo and Mars were with them all looking deadly serious and attacking the dragon.

_Flies. You are only flies_, the black dread said and swung his tail again, almost knocking herself and Adrian off the saddle. She kept her hold on her saddle, while Aiedail spoke to her, sharing vivid thoughts and trying to keep her awake. The purple dragon even gave her some of her energy and only then did the shaking of her hands stop somewhat.

A wyrm appeared to her right and before it was able to attack her, Aiedail span to its direction and grabbed the creature by the neck, shaking it around and clawing at it until it was dead, falling to the sea.

Kayla returned her attention to the black dread, but the three dragons were taunting the older one. Rikon and Fiord joined the game and as Fiord was rounder around the belly it made for a better target than the previous ones. Black dread targeted him instead and all Kayla could think about was that Fiord was not fast enough. Adrian dove two daggers inside the black dread's neck hoping to severe it, but it barely even scratched the surface.

The black dragon shook his massive head and Adrian slipped but dove his two daggers into the dragon's skin holding on from them.

_Oh, young riders. You stand no chance in defeating me_, the old dragon said with a knowing tone.

_This is not so_, Kayla wanted to reply back, but she saw Gwen approaching atop Saturn, her copper dragon; Idel, in mail plate that appeared dark grey under the clouds, and her dragon Osphynx who had a pale green colour; Octavian with his massive beast Lenor, of scale colour similar to his rider, that of dark ebony wood; Mirin came last, all clad in mail and with his sharp sword shining even under the faint light of the morning sun.

Out of the Masters of Training only Maud was not present, but then again she did not have a dragon to ride and participate in the aerial battle.

Octavian attacked the beast first, thrusting his weapon - a spear of thick body, slim and sharp blade, clad in iron mail – on the scales. He thrust it hard, his arm muscles coiling at the impact and the blade hit home as the dragon growled loudly. The battle seemed to lean on their favour as Octavian and Lenor attacked again, the smaller dragon biting a chuck of flesh off the larger one. Only, they had not taken into account the changing weather.

Whereas before there was a constant and light stream of rain this soon turned into a downpour of water which fell on Kayla's face. This, however, was nothing compared to the strong gusts of wind that shook riders, dragons and wyrms alike. Nevertheless, the wyrms seemed to be having an easier time flying than the dragons and pressed on with their attack. Lightning bolts were also common with one of them striking mere inches before the black dread.

_If only it had fallen on the dragon. Then the battle might have not looked so bad_, Kayla thought as she tried to hold onto Aiedail's saddle more tightly.

The purple dragon growled as she fought against the wind and Kayla could do nothing to help her as they were not fighting against arrows, blades and creatures where magic might have been an advantage, but against the weather itself.

The Shade that attacked Kayla from her left took her completely by surprise as her sole focus had been on fighting the weather elements. Aidedail was the one who noticed the wyrm first as it fell on them.

As the Shade's attack pressed on, Kayla used Hûthvír to defend herself from the dark blade, fearing the worst as the weapons connected. Only later did she understand that there had been no reason to worry at all, as the staff-sword did not break and the blades at its edges managed to slice the Shade's elbow. The shade was a youth, no older than twenty years, his hair dark red, the colour of blood. He screamed in pain from the impact and Kayla held her breath as dark almost black blood fell on them.

Not even a single droplet of blood touched either her or Aiedail, her protective spells forming a barrier. This time she went to slash at the shade first, but heavy rain descended on her from the skies, clouding her vision and soaking her to the core. She clenched her teeth angrily as her dragon dived to the right just under black dread, trying to move from a strong upward gust of wind. Tristan joined forces with the other riders, Laer, Adrian, Gwen and the masters of training as they attacked the black dread. However, no matter the number of riders, the dragon seemed to take no notice of them.

She watched Vertigo flying around the black dread descending on him quickly just as his rider let out sharp silver arrows. Despite the weather's element the arrows never failed to miss their target. One fell on the black dread's left eye, barely scratching the surface; the other two at the soft skin between neck and lower body where usually a rider sat and the final three at the beast's belly.

His tail swung quickly at all sides, managing to hit Rikon, Fiord and then Idel, who would have fallen to the rock, but for her left leg which was still strapped on her saddle.

_No one taunts the ancient dragons_, the old beast whispered in the riders' minds and Kayla had to hold her head from the pressure of his mental attack.

_Hold on!,_ Aiedail growled in response and she grabbed onto the beast's lower belly. It made no difference as the dragon moved his legs trying to remove the purple dragoness but without prevailing.

The Shade and wyrm that had been following them only moments ago, went to grab at Aiedail's tail, but she descended to her right falling down quickly and the Shade attacked the black beast instead. An upward wind, however, brought both girl and dragon higher and Kayla felt her stomach clenching as they gained altitude quickly. She went to grab at the ancient dragon's chest, but the vibrations from his chest threw them off balance.

A dreading feeling settled over her; the realisation of what was to come dawning upon them almost simultaneously. The dragons moved quickly, flapping their wings fast, going upwards, fighting against rain, strong wind and lightning.

Yet it made no difference. When fire exploded from the black dread's chest, it burned through rain and wind, reaching them quickly. The jet of flame was wider and longer than any Kayla had seen and as Aiedail raced away from it, she started feeling the heat of it on her face.

She turned back to look and gasped in response. Onyx and Laer were a black spot mere inches away from the jet of flames, but as the dragon moved his head from side to side, rider and dragon were engulfed in its flames. Kayla had no time to think about what had just happened. She was horrified, yes, but her need to survive and save her dragon, were at the moment greater than anyone else's death. Sweat was running down her brows and she thought the flame would reach them, but instead it went around them as the protective barriers placed, still held. Her energy, however, did not.

Her fingers started shaking, palms sweating, her body, weak. Aiedail dived down, escaping the flames and Kayla relaxed, realising she no longer had to use her energy. She did not know for how long the black dragon breathed flame, but when he stopped, wyrms approached them. The smell in the air was one of sulphur, fire, smoke and rain.

She coughed.

Despite the amount of heat and fire, the rain kept on coming stronger and stronger. It felt as if a waterfall had been situated right above them and Kayla felt weak. She was now using her dragon's vision to see, but even so, everything was blurry.

She looked for her brother then, trying to distinguish a blue shape, but she could see none. Aiedail was barely flying upright, fighting desperately against the weather. Kayla looked for Laer as well but she could not see him and she feared for the worst.

Where was everyone? The only thing she could make out was the black dread. She wanted to cry, scream, as Aiedail's breath became louder and louder from the effort of staying upright. Just then she distinguished a silver-blue slim dragon coming her way and she raised her hands in the air.

_Tristan!_ She thought extending her mind to the consciousness of the rider.

She watched as the dragon came her way climbing upwards and then down again with a grace that astounded both her and his opponent, a wyrm without a rider.

Her brother responded.

_I have an idea,_ he said.

_I don't know if it will work, _she confessed_. But we have to try._

,...

_But we have to try, _Kayla said in Tristan's mind.

He could hear her but her mental voice was faint as if there was too much distance between him and her. Which was not the case, as he could see her atop her starlight dragon.

_What is the girl thinking?,_ Vertigo said curiously and itched closer only to pull back, sniffing the air suspiciously.

A wyrm was still at their heels and he turned around quickly, letting out a big jet of flames which was met by the wyrm's black liquid.

Vertigo growled annoyed and bit the wyrm's tail and then rose higher into the aIr.

_The purple dragoness has the same blood flowing through her veins as her rider has with you. And I am afraid they are both injured,_ Vertigo said perplexed and sniffed the air again.

_Only, I can smell no blood or see any wounds_, he added as an afterthought.

Tristan fired and arrow which hit the wyrm under his right wing. He looked at his sister and the purple dragon again and knew well enough where their injuries lay. He had voiced his thoughts to Kayla and she had agreed although he doubted that she would have the power.

Maybe, he shouldn't even have suggested this.

A blur caught his eye and he turned his attention to the left, where Adrain was working with Laer still, trying to kill the massive beast who had decided that he no longer want to idly watch. He often fired jet of flames and moved around, but Tristan and vertigo both knew that he was moving slowly.

They are alive!, Tristan exclaimed in Vertigo's mind as he had been certain that the smaller black dragon and his rider had been lost in the flames.

Only… They were.

When he approached, he saw Laer and Onyx both engulfed in fire. He blinked, using Vertigo's vision to make sure that what he was seeing was real and he was not dreaming or had his thoughts controlled by an external force.

But no, Laer was there, holding a massive two handed thick serrated blade and he jumped from Onyx's back and onto the black dread stubbing the beast's right eye. The growl that escaped the dragon was so loud that the whole island rocked with it. Flame was running down Laer's arm, on his sword and into the dragon's eye. Laer did not stay long to see the black dread's reaction. He returned atop Onyx and flew to Tristan's side alongside with Adrian and Mars.

The black dragon fainted to the side and for a moment it appeared as if they had stopped the massive beast. Or rather stalled it.

_Has anyone seen Grohn and the twins? We need to notify then. Quickly_, Laer whispered to the other two riders.

It was Adrian who used his abilities to find out where the other riders were.

_There_, he said pointing with his finger and Tristan had to blink again.

Grohn was attacking the twins with viciousness, trying to drive his axe down Cyclops, but the white-grey dragon dodged his attack.

May or Maya - Tristan could not tell - jumped onto Grohn's dragon Haifen. Grohn pulled the straps from his saddle and drove the blade into one twin. Blood splattered and the riders watched what was happening with open mouths.

_The twins betrayed us!_ Gorhn shouted in their minds.

Adrian attempted to reach the twin's mind who was alive but she had left the battleground, gazing back with malice and a wicked smile.

_All on land,_ Gwen said when she saw more clouds gathering. _Soon, flying will be impossible._

Before long the riders had gathered together and Tristan was looking at Kayla's exhausted form.

_She will not be able to do this,_ Vertigo said.

_She will,_ Tristan insisted and with no warning Vertigo started spiralling upwards.

Onyx and Mars were on his heels.

_Do not lose a turn_, Vertigo warned and the dragons kept climbing higher and higher despite Gwen's constant cries.

Tristan could not pay any attention at her. They only had one chance at this. Black dread was looking at them with his left eye curiously and started following suit. Mars let out an irritated growl but Tristan smiled knowing that the black dragon had fallen in their trap. They climber higher and higher, losing themselves amongst the clouds, all the while spiralling and Tristan could feel the air around him changing.

Thunders were more common now but none touched them. Magic and electricity were present in the atmosphere and Tristan's hair on the sides of his face had risen. His plan was to subdue the dragon mid-air, but something else was happening something he had not planned.

Vertigos scales were alive with magic, pulsing with electricity and energy. Tristan was afraid to touch them directly. His dragon was doing something, what Tristan could not tell and so was Onyx and Mars and down below Aiedail and Fiord and countless more dragons that at that moment he could not name.

The air was spiralling upwards with his movements, faster and faster. Sea water and rain started spiralling upwards as well, Vertigo and Tristan in the middle of it lying untouched with the other riders following suit.

_A tornado_, Tristan realised and gasped as another lightning struck, closer to him than the one before.

_Follow me,_ Vertigo advised and the other dragons followed him, passing the rain clouds, reaching a place where whatever happened was well below them. Air there seemed somewhat different and his head felt lighter.

Before the riders lost consciousness Vertigo dived to the other side of where the tornado was heading. When he turned his head back, Tristan was happy to realise than the black dread was no longer following them.

The tornado began with a simple thin dark grey spiral on the shores of Dis Atilan. As it gained speed and altitude, swallowing mud and debris on its wake, the tornado changed colour to a dark brown. The dragons and their riders were located on the North West part of the island while the tornado was ranging at the Southern part of it.

Tristan caught a glimpse of black dread as he tried to get away from the tornado, but the old dragon was too big, his legs too stiff and slow for him to move fast enough. The tornado swallowed him whole as he had previously done so with the trees and rocks of the shores.

The cries of the young riders and dragons echoed throughout everyone's minds.

_We have done it,_ Tristan thought in awe and patted Vertigo's back. _How did you do this?_

_I know not. At the moment it just felt … Right_, the grey-blue dragon said.

The storm was still ranging yet the weather seemed to no longer affect them in the same way. Vertigo was gliding through the gusts of wind as if he had been made to do just that.

When a wyrm approached them, Vertigo was fast enough to follow an upward rift and the gust blew on the dark creature causing it to change direction, giving enough time for Tristan to fire an arrow. The blade pierced the heart and the creature descended quickly.

He gazed around him in awe as he realised that almost all of the wyrms had died.

_Strange_, the dragon said in his mind, sharing his opinion.

_Maybe so, yet I am glad that none of us died in the process_, Tristan said.

The greatest of Dragon Riders should against the Shadow wyrms and perished. Yet, we, as mere students were able to defeat them. Strange, Vertigo repeated.

And that's when he saw it.

A shape appeared from within the clouds. It was not a dragon but a shadow wyrm, only it was larger than any Tristan had faced. It flew swiftly and bypassed them in seconds, landing on Dis Atilan.

Tristan warned the riders and headed towards the ground, his heart beating furiously inside his chest. Before Vertigo had landed Tristan had jumped from his dragon's back only to find the rest of the young dragon riders present.

They were not alone, however.

The shadow wyrm had carried no less than 10 Shades on its back. Without warning they jumped from the Shade's back and started attacking the dragon riders. Tristan fired five arrows, one after the other, but none of his shots managed to land on his targets.

He swore under his breath and Vertigo went to flow fire but Tristan stopped him.

You will burn the riders as well, he said and the dragon nodded.

Instead he went to claw at the wyrm but dragons were weak on land. It took four dragons before they were actually able to cause any real damage on the wyrm and even so the creature snapped Fiord's neck in half.

The dragon died with a pained growl and Rikon fell to his knees, dropping his sword. Tristan had seconds before the Shade attacked his friend and he fired an arrow. The blade pierced the Shade's arm but it did not kill him. Just in time Rikon picked his sword and dove it right into his attacker's heart.

When he was done, the dwarf fell to his knees and Tristan tried to get to his side but a Shade attacked him and he dodged. His sister threw a bolt of water towards his attacker and he nodded at her direction before she faced her next enemy.

_A Shade. A young Shade. _

_They are all so young,_ Tristan realised and wondered why that was.

Then, he realised why. When the boy who had rode the massive black dragon attacked him, Tristan paused but he was a second too late. The bow rocked from the impact of the strength the Shade had used and Tristan had to clutch his teeth to stop them from shaking.

When the next attack came Tristan could only dodge once more, trying to move away from his attacker. Even though the boy was young he looked as if he was an experienced fighter.

The fact that he had a young boy's face though made it even harder for Tristan to want to attack him. Not that he could. He was too close to the Shade to be able to fire an arrow and he had never been one for sword fighting.

His feet pushed against the dirt as he tried to stop the Shade's attack but his muscles were shaking, his arms and legs trembling.

"Don't resist it" the boy said but his voice sounded ancient, at least two centuries old.

His gaze was calculating, cold, distant.

"Why?" Tristan managed to ask but all the boy did was attack again.

Tristan felt the cold touch of the blade, his reaction a second too late. Not able to comprehend what was at play he looked down to see blood spreading from his chest. He gasped, trying to take a breath of air but blood came to his mouth instead and he fell.

He could hear the distant echo of a dragon growl, he could see the figure of a blue-grey shape and a female scream piercing the air.

Tristan never felt the pain only what came afterwards.

…

_Adurna moi, yauna du froman abr thringa = _Water change, take the form of rain

**A/N: Don't forget to leave reviews! Also HowtoBook101 recently drew some of the major characters in ROTD. If you want to check out her drawing it can be found here (just without the gaps): ****ht tp : post /129992412806/kayla-tristain-gwen-laer-and-adrian**


	49. Certain Agony of the Battlefield

**Chapter 49 – Certain Agony of the Battlefield**

"TRISTAN!" her scream pierced the afternoon, misty air and she ran to him.

Kayla ran towards her brother, despite the sword blades of her surrounding enemies aiming towards her, despite the fires exploding from the dragons licking her skin, despite the magical protective spells and the other, darker powers surrounding her.

She ran to him despite everything.

_Kayla, no!_ Aiedail shouted in her mind, but in that instant there was only one thought in her mind and that was of saving her brother.

She couldn't have told whether Vertigo or her reached Tristan first but she caught him before he fell. Blood was gushing from his chest wound and mouth. His eyes were closed and she couldn't see him moving.

Her heart clutched and her hands shook, as her fingertips reached his neck to find a heartbeat but there was none.

_Behind you, Kayla! Look, behind…,_ Aiedail said in her mind and the girl put a protective barrier around herself and her brother.

Fire surrounded her but she ignored the heat of it and the loss of energy. Instead she looked to Tristan and shook him slightly.

_Tristan,_ she spoke into his mind.

There was no reply.

_Tristan?_

Tears were threatening to spill from her eyes and she dug her finger nails into her skin.

Kayla placed her hands over his wound and concentrated, imagining the flesh of his body stitching itself back together, the bones elongating…

_Don't you dare die, Tristan!,_ she screamed into his mind with every ounce of strength she had and felt the sudden loss of energy.

A blade brushed centimetres away from her skin and she turned around to see her brother's attacker standing above her, after managing to break her protective barrier. She was breathing heavily from the loss of energy and annoyed, she rose to the air, staring directly into the Shade's eyes.

He was young, a mere boy of fourteen, fifteen, but that didn't stop her from attacking his mind. There was little to no energy left inside her, but magic was her only weapon, her only defence, her only power. The Shade's dark eyes were ancient as he attacked back with a similar manner of power, but as Kayla lashed at him, using every trick she had learnt from Maud, Idel and the Masters of Training the Shade fell back.

The boy stumbled and fell to the ground, looking terrified, his eyes a watery blue-brown colour. He rose his hands to the air, but she pushed Hûthvír in him, nevertheless. He had attacked her brother. He deserved no less.

Too late she realised that Hûthvír had torn through his stomach only, and not his heart. Irritated, she went for another blow, but something stopped her. She looked back to identify the person stopping her but there was no one.

Kayla went to step forward but she couldn't.

She pressed her lips together tightly trying to push through the invisible wall but there was no power left inside her. There was no consciousness present in her mind other than her own, either.

_Aiedail!,_ she screamed, trying to locate her dragon but she was locked in place.

Once, getting rid of the purple dragon may have been her dream, but now it was her nightmare.

Was Aiedail dead as well?, she wondered and liquid started falling from her eyes, realising that with Tristan gone as well she would be alone.

She tried to locate a consciousness, any consciousness, but there was nothing.

Where was everybody?

Kayla squinted her eyes trying to discern the shapes in the smoke surrounding her and saw the riders locked in place just as she was. The dragons were bound on earth as well, unable to move forward or backward. Vertigo was standing mere inches away from Tristan, his paw extended near the boy's head, desperation present in his eyes. A silent growl seemed to escape his lips.

When she located Aiedail, standing next to Rikon, she almost let out a sigh of relief. Only she couldn't, her lips were locked in place and Aiedail's thorns rose on sharp ends, her only response.

It was then, that she saw the figure approaching them, clad in a dark hooded cloak. Kayla could discern a pair of dark eyes glowing from below the hood.

Not a Shade, then.

He hmphed as if in disappointment when his gaze met Kayla's and he walked to where she was, picking Hûthvír right out of her grasp. The Shade standing directly below the blade, crawled away from him, in what appeared to be fear. The hooded figure only shook his head.

"You should not have attacked him. Look at him, he is only a boy. A boy who killed your brother no less, but he was following my orders" the figure told her and smiled.

She felt the blood running quickly through her veins and she made an attempt to move but the figure only laughed. He examined the blade in his hands and his brows creased.

"Would you like to tell me where the herbalist is? Do not attempt to pretend not to know because I know this belongs to her" the figure said and Kayla pressed her lips more tightly together.

Even if she could she wouldn't have told him.

The figure laughed and snapped his fingers together. Growls escaped Aiedail and Kayla could see the intense pain her dragon was in. He palms sweated, her heart beat faster and she swallowed.

_Tell me_, the voice commanded.

Kayla looked at Aiedail's pained but set gaze, and stayed silent.

The figure shook his head again and went to stand next to Idel's dragon. He was a beautiful beast, silver and diamond shining under the deem light, but when Hûthvír pierced his heart, he collapsed onto the ground all the same. The elf's gaze turned into one of horror unable to look away from her dragon.

The figure opened up the dragon's chest to bring out his heart out and with a gasp that very much resembled ecstasy he let the heart explode into a million pieces.

_Stop it!,_ Kayla shouted in his mind, tasting the salt from her tears.

"He is already dead, sweetling. Your dragon's turn is next if you do not tell me where to find the herbalist" he said.

Kayla saw the movement of a shadow before he did. Angela jumped upon the figure with Tinkledeath in her hands. The sword twisted and turned like a partner in a complicated dance but the man met her blows with a smile fixed upon his face.

"Unless you use your true power against me, sister, you stand no chance in beating me" he said but the herbalist ignored him and continued attacking him with her blade.

When she pushed his hood back and sliced his cheek he let out a gasp of surprise. If Kayla could, she would have done the same. Behind the hood lay the face of a man she knew, or rather had seen before, in the water goblet of her room.

He had goat horns above his ears and a mane of dark hair that reached his shoulder blades. Kayla could tell that he was not human but he was no elf, dwarf, Urgal or werecat either. Even though originally, from the voice, Kayla had thought he was male, now she was having second thoughts.

A sharp nose started from between his hawk-like, dark eyes and stopped right above his full lips. His figure told her nothing of whether he was female or male. He could be either.

In his hands, he was holding a medium sized blade of white colour and he stopped each and every one of Angela's blows. Despite the trickle of blood running from his cheek, he was laughing whilst the herbalist was panting.

"Are you afraid that what happened to him will happen to you, dear sister?" he asked her and let out a blast of power towards her direction.

It caught Angela full on and she fell to the earth, trembling.

Air rushed into Kayla's lungs, anger filling her thoughts. The spot of energy in the back of her mind came to life, filling her thoughts and in a single explosion of energy she fell to the earth, coughing. Aiedail's consciousness stirred inside her and she saw the purple dragon flying high.

Kayla's eyes turned into slits and the rain droplets turned into daggers attacking the figure. Idel's and Maud's words of stating her intentions in the Ancient Language were long forgotten.

The figure let out a scream of pain and when Aiedail's fire fell upon him, he stopped it and started laughing. Whereas before his attention was on Angela, now it turned to her.

"Water magic… How curious" he said and before he could utter another word Kayla rose from the earth and run to his direction, the rain falling from the skies turning into a downpour and attacking him.

For a second, he looked scared before he replied with his own blast of energy.

Kayla did not have time to spare and she went back to her brother, swallowing hard and desperately searching for a sign of life.

There was none.

She turned to him, the eyes of the dragon riders on her, warning her to flee but she stayed put.

"Why?" Kayla asked him, her hands clenching into fists as tears fell on the ground, making the wet patch of earth wetter.

The figure cocked its head on the side, looking at her in a curious manner.

"Why? Why does the sun rise in the west and set in the east? Why does the rain fall on our skin? So many questions. You will have to be more specific"

"Why are you attacking us? Why did you kill my brother?" Kayla asked him, her lower lip trembling, mirroring the movements of some small rocks next to her.

He kneeled on the ground and brushed his hands over the wet grass.

"Can you not feel the earth weeping, child? The creatures in Alagaesia are sucking the life out of it faster than a bee sucks nectar. Soon, there will be nothing left. Energy cannot be destroyed, child. Surely, your teachers must have taught you this much. But with humans multiplying faster than rabbits energy… is reduced. Why do you think your brother died? He was useless, not even an ounce of magic in him. You… You, on the other hand are far more special. You inherited what he did not"

Kayla felt sick. "You are killing people to get more power?"

He put his thumb on his chin. "In a way, I assume yes. Though I do so hate killing dragons. They are such majestic creatures… A few years ago they were almost extinct and now… Look! So many of them around… And yet they are bound to useless riders. Like him" he said and in one instant he was next to her, kicking gently her brother's head.

She could feel the moisture in the air bundling together and engulfing the figure. Her hands were tightened together. If she let go, he would explode. He must have known as much but he simply coked his head to the side.

_Have you never wondered why you are so powerful? Do you not wonder, why you alone were able to escape my magic?_

Kayla swallowed.

_Have you never been tempted by the power? Wanted to explore more? This island, these people.. They are keeping you prisoner. Ask Angela. She could have killed me, if she wanted to. Yet, she was too afraid to use her magic. She could not. You can_.

_I will not be tempted by you. You are the definition of evil. You are the definition of dark. I will not associate myself with the likes of you. _

He started laughing, bubbles escaping his mouth just before the water around him dispersed.

"You think everything is black and white? You think everything is good and bad? How wrong you are… Most would consider what your master did as evil. Tying the soul of an unbound dragon to the riders' will? Blasphemy. The wild dragons and eldunari sensed this, although some made the same absurd decisions as him. And the eldunari, the spirits, deities you hold in such high esteem? Where were they when all of this destruction and horror were taking place? They were able to use their power to conceal secrets, move land and water… Yet they decide to stay dormant, hidden away… " he said.

"Galbatorix was no more evil than any of the leaders in Alagaesia. If you knew the choices they had to make… Choose between life and death. Choose between the destruction of one city or another. One city with loved ones and one city with hundreds of people. What would you choose? It is not all as clear cut as you may think.

The riders that have sided with me… They have done so with their own free will. I do not wish to kill the riders, no, I do not. I wish to remove a considerable amount of the population in Alagaesia, simply because their numbers are growing and they are like vermin destroying everything in their path, killing the earth and plants. Can you not hear the earth's cries, child? Its being plunged again and again without its will, object to the races that rule over all other creatures. Some of them may be friends and family, but still useless. I wish to remove some of the rider elders, yes, but that's simply because they are weak and senseless and they make absurd decisions" he continued.

_There is no black and white, younglings. There is only grey. _

"How can you be anything, but? You use Shades and Shadow wyrms, the very definition of evil and darkness, the definition of black magic" Kayla said.

He looked angry at that, his eyes sparkling even though the light was slipping away.

"You think I enjoy using Shades for my doing? I had no choice in that" he said in disgust. "You think I have the power to control the Great King? You are gravely mistaken"

He twisted his hands and suddenly the air she was breathing became uncomfortably warm and moisture fell from her skin. Aiedail blew fire on their attacker but a shadow wyrm and a shade went to attack her dragon.

She willed the rain to fall harder and engulf her. It did just that and the warmth disappeared. Kayla run to her enemy and she produced a dagger from her boots. She went to attack him but he stopped her with Hûthvír.

"Who are you?" she managed as she felt the heels of her boots, brushing against the dirt as she tried to maintain the blade of her dagger in a straight position. Her hand was trembling but he had killed her brother. He would kill her, Aiedail and the rest of the dragon riders and dragons if she stayed idle.

In one movement of his he threw her to the side and she fell to the earth hard. Vines grew from the earth and bound her down, tightening around her.

"Who am I? Have you not been listening?

Our numbers are declining and we are but a dying race, although wise and ancient as some might recall. I have had many names and lived many lives. I am the line which stands between the good and evil, black and white. Some have called us Gods, others Grey folk. Some have worshipped us, others have scorned us. Nevertheless we are the creators of this land, creators of this world, and the creators of all races.

Creation, however, requires energy. And with each creation, a small part of energy abandons us until we have less and less. Until we reach a point when we are no more than spirits, watching everything but unable to do anything to alter the events that take place. Existence in this world diminishes, each passing year becomes an eternity and then we fall into deep slumber, some never to awake again…" at this Rikon fell to his knees while Adrian watched him with a grimace.

"But the human species had taken over everything. The earth weeps, can you not feel it? The elves I respect, but their numbers too are declining. There are but a few left. Dwarves? I thought once, they could become strong, but they are weak, vain and greedy like the humans. Urgals? They kill and destroy everything. I fought for Galbatorix. I fought for his cause. For years I was his ally. His plan was not perfect, but he aimed to make a world were dragons would exist, protectors of the earth. Dragon riders would be few but worthy. The previous generation was corrupt.

I expected more of you, so much more. Who do you think helped Eragon against his fight with Galbatorix? The Eldunari? The spirits? Useless little mongrels. They only appear when it suits them. It was I, but it was only a fool's hope. I expected the dragon riders to be able to change the fate of this land, but you are useless! You think you have power just because a dragon has chosen you? Dragons should be out in the wild, bound to no one. This is their nature and you cannot go against it. And see now what has happened? Your number is declining as well. Magic will soon be lost as Urgals, humans and dwarves take over the land like termites, like vermin, but even they have their use and you don't! Soon everything will be but a dessert, a living hell!" he said, breathing loudly as if he had just finished a sparring match.

You are too young to understand. You have not lived as long as I. Watching them repeat the same mistakes again and again and again. There is peace now but soon there will be war and then peace again and then war. The land bleeds again and again just because your kind is greedy!

I thought that your leader could have changed this but he is weak and foolish tortured by his human emotions and needs. Who does he think he is to change the laws of nature? You would think that the Eldunari would stop him from making these stupid decisions but they have been deep in their slumber for far too long. No, I intend to fix these problems. Join me if you must since I can't let you live. I am not going to let you and the other creatures repeat the mistakes of your ancestors. Not again" he whispered and turned around to pierce Angela's chest with Hûthvír.

The herbalist screamed, a high pitch shriek that rocked through Kayla.

The girl felt a tingling sensation on her skin as the herbalist's consciousness disintegrated into nothingness. The earth rocked with every drop of blood that spilled from her skin. Air started blowing on her face and all through this, the dragon riders stayed put in place, frozen by a spell.

Aiedail was still blowing fire above her, fighting against three Shades now. Kayla wanted to go to her but her priority was the person in front of her, who had murdered her brother, Angela and would no doubt extinguish the rest of the riders as well.

As Angela's last breath left her lips, Kayla managed to crawl to her, despite the vines holding her tightly. The herbalist grabbed her palm where the Gedwey Ignasia symbol was. She spoke words, but words Kayla did not understand. They were in an ancient language, a language more ancient than the Ancient Language.

A calm smile was on her lips.

_Make the wise choice, Klifa,_

Energy rocked through all of them suddenly, a sudden blast, similar to the feeling Kayla got when the boundaries broke.

"Rest well, Gokukara. You have lived long and well" the figure said, approaching her but Kayla was already on her feet.

"How many more will you kill?" she demanded.

"Enough to restore the balance. Once the Grey Folk meant to do just this, until Helzvog decided to create his own race and make things… Complicated"

"The people in Alagaesia?" Kayla asked, her hands beginning to tremble once again.

"Some of the elves and dwarves will be spared. The rest… Will die" he replied in a matter of fact type of tone.

This was all Kayla needed.

Water sprung from the earth, destroying whatever vines had held her prisoner. Then she directed the flow of water to him. This held him in place just as he had done with the earth's vines. Kayla picked up the dagger from the ground and attacked.

Someone grabbed her wrist. Her enemy laughed.

"Let me go!" she screamed and went to attack again, but whoever it was held her wrist tighter, causing her to drop her dagger.

Angry, she turned around and screamed, water crushing onto her attacker. Too late, she realised it was Laer. He was choking in water but she didn't have time for him. She turned back to her enemy, reaching for another blade from her left boot.

"Kayla… Stop" Laer said.

It was only then that Kayla realised that everything around her was shaking as if an earthquake was happening. Water from underground caves was exploding almost everywhere around her, the sea water was dancing in twirls and the rain was falling hard.

The riders were able to move again, though they were all trying to protect themselves from the force of the water. Even Aiedail was desperately trying to stay in one place, but rain and wind both were doing her no favours.

A gasp escaped her lips and Kayla tried to stop whatever she was doing but the energy was too much for her to control.

"Its your fault!" she said, screaming to her attacker who was rocking on the ground in laughter.

"Gokukara tried so hard to stop what happened to Angvard from happening to her that she forgot… You"

Kayla run to him, dagger in hand once more, but somehow Laer had managed to escape her attack and stood before her.

"Don't do this. You can control it" he said.

She felt her heart beat quicken. "He killed Tristan! He is planning to kill the rest of the riders! Let me kill him! Where do your loyalties lie, Laer?"

For an instant, Laer smiled. "Loyalties are complicated. This is my song, though"

He pushed Kayla to the side and fell upon the enemy with his two handed, serrated sword. The blade went straight through the person and came out the other side, the hilt almost touching the chest where no blood came through.

The person stared at Laer with an open mouth of surprise.

"Missed me, Ahno?" Laer asked and pushed the blade deeper.

"This… Is… Not… Over" the person named Ahno, said. "There are forces… Greater than I. You should… Thank Eragon for that. The boy rider. Awakening spell? Everyone… Will awaken. Everyone… Has"

Laer pressed his lips tightly together, hate clouding his features. "Send my regards to Ai"

He pushed the hilt of his boot against the man's body, took his sword back and with a single blow tore the man's head away from the body.

Kayla was staring at him with an open mouth. By then almost all the riders were able to move again and were fighting against the remaining Shades and Shadow Wyrms, not that there were many of them left. She was still shaking, the water still spinning around her and as Laer approached her, his dark hair dripping with blood, she stepped back, a wall of water standing before her.

_Do not come any closer,_ she warned and Laer stayed put in place.

_Do not be afraid of me. I will not hurt you. _

_Are you an enemy or a friend? _

_I am both. Let me help you. _

_No. _

_Can't you see you are destroying this land? _

Kayla shook her head, stubbornly. _Tristan is dead. _

_All the more reason for you to live. Do you know the story of Angvard? The god of death he is called. _

_It is no time for stories, Laer,_ Kayla said just as a spring of water exploded next to his ear.

He took a step forward, completely ignoring what she had said and done. _Angvard was one of the magic users that nearly destroyed all of Alagaesia. This was before the time the Grey Folk bound Magic to the Use of the Ancient Language. Then, things were more complicated. The surviving Grey Folk used their language, the Ancient Language, to bind magic so that it was controlled by speech. The powerful language also prevented the speaker from lying. It is not known how they completed the spell, but many of them pitched in to ensure success. Because of this enormous change in the nature of magic, the energy toll was great, and the Grey Folk were consequently diminished as a people. In addition, they, whether by purpose or accident is not clear, left a method of altering magic and the Ancient Language through the Ancient Language's true name._

He said the name, then, the true name of the Ancient Language. Kayla knew what it was as soon as he started reciting it, the complex structure of words familiar in her ear. Slowly, she felt the energy inside her calming. Aiedail was able to land on Dis Atilan and she rushed to her, offering her support.

_You can do it,_ the she-dragon simply said.

It was enough.

With each breath Kayla took, the force of the water subsided.

When the energy spot at the back of her mind seemed to have reduced in size she fell to the ground, next to Tristan.

Aiedail's muzzle brushed her back while Vertigo was gently nudging Tristan but was getting no replies. He would rise to the air for a few seconds, only to return soon after, growling, sniffing, growling again.

By then, both Gwen and Adrian were standing next to her, above Tristan. Gwen began to cry when she touched Tristan's wrist but Adrian looked in the distance.

"He is dead" he said in a single sentence and Kayla was not sure whether he was referring to her brother or the enemy lying next to him.

There were still Shades left around them and the Masters of Training were trying to restrain them until one ran to them and attacked Laer. It was so unexpected that all the riders turned to him and in one single moment the Shade had done something and Laer disappeared with him.

Kayla jumped on the earth where Laer had been, unable to comprehend what was at play.

"Invisibility spell?" Gwen asked but Adrian quickly shook his head as Kayla tried to look for Laer.

"Laer?" she asked, confused and surprised both and when no one replied she fell to the earth once more, tightening her grip around Aiedail's muzzle and crying.

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who left reviews on the previous chapter, Best OC Maker, HowtoBook101, shurtugalKevin, Tessa, MaryLeaves, Anon zzzzz. I apologise for the late updates, I will try to have the next chapter ready within the next two weeks! **


	50. Road to Nowhere The End

**Chapter 50 – Road to Nowhere – The end.**

Pale colour.

Cold skin.

Colourless eyes.

Empty soul.

Vertigo's thoughts sounded loud and clear through his connection with Mars. The blue-grey dragon must have been at least fifty miles away from Dis Atilan, yet his words still echoed throughout the minds of the Dragon Riders making both dragons and riders stand on edge.

The fact that there were still Shades present was not making things any easier and when one of them moved, Adrian bound her in place in a single movement of his lips. He had not forgotten what had happened to the last rider who had taken the Shades for granted.

"What shall we do with this one?" he asked in disgust looking down on a female Shade with the Gedwey Ignasia symbol on the inside of her palm.

Grohn took in a deep breath while Rikon cursed under his breath.

"Kill her, I say. Kill her and get it over with" Rikon whispered, any compassion gone with his dragon's death.

"Unless there is no other way, Riders do not kill" Mirin said, taking quick steps towards their direction.

"She is already dead, tormented by dark spirits and the fallen. It will be a favour" the dwarven boy offered, deep in thought, and kneeled on the ground to get a closer look at the Shade.

Before anyone could do anything to stop her, the Shade had risen and within seconds was holding a knife against Rikon's throat.

"Move and he dies" she whispered with a voice that sounded like it had come from a million dialects.

"Kill me, then. It will be a blessing" the dwarven boy said and kicked her in the stomach, hard.

Somehow, he escaped her embrace and rolled on the earth, producing a finely engraved sword from his shoulder. The female Shade was covered in dust and bound to the earth once again, but she had a big smile fixed upon her face. She put her fingers inside her mouth and whistled loudly. Her white hair which was tinted at the edges with red and pale-pink fell to the right hand side of her face, while her smile widened. A rustle of wings sounded from afar and in the distance, the shape of a white-pale pink dragon, came into sight.

The riders knew that if the Shade climbed on her dragon, it would be the end of it. It was Octavian who made the first move and fell with full force on the female Shade. The Shade screamed in an innocent, young girl voice, but Octavian pinned her arms to the side and Mirin whispered words that bound the Shade's arm together.

The white, pale, pink dragon came closer, but Octavian's look and a silent trail of words made the creature hiss and move back.

"Do we kill her, now?" Rikon asked, exasperated, his sword arm raised, but Mirin shook his head.

"She has information. And a dragon. We need her alive for now"

"What about this one?" Adrian asked, pointing at the dark skinned boy who had killed Tristan.

He walked close to him and saw the boy breathing deep and slow, obviously in pain. The wound on his chest, from where Kayla had injured him with Hûthvír, was still bleeding. He was mumbling in an incomprehensible language.

The elf took a deep breath and forcefully grabbed the boy's right arm. The silver light of the Gedwey Ignasia symbol momentarily glowed and the boy opened his brown eyes to scream. He crawled back away from Adrian and produced a small dagger in defence.

"Take the two Shade-riders to the prisons in Glieonard. We will question them later. The rest. Kill" Octavian said.

Mirin pressed his lips together, obviously not comfortable with this decision. There were another five Shades left, all of them young, no older than sixteen human years of age and obviously they had not been Shades for longer than a year.

Rikon was the first to dig his dagger into one of the Shades' hearts, the silent hiss audible in Adrian's ears.

Mars twitched his tail in an impatient manner.

_This is wrong_, his dragon said.

Adrian couldn't agree more.

_There is nothing rider-like or dragon-like in killing bound creatures. It is different when a dragon attacks and the victim fights back, resists or attacks first,_ the elf said in Mars's mind.

"This is for Fiord!" Rikon screamed and decapitated another Shade. "This is for Maurine. For Gas. For Tristan and the countless other you have killed"

When he finished the names, all the Shades were dead, their dark blood sprayed on the earth like ink. Their eyes and facial expressions were filled with fear. Rikon's eyes were only filled with anger and sadness.

Grohn went to put a hand on his shoulder but the dwarven boy shook it off and run back to Glieonard.

_Follow him, Grohn. We don't want him to do anything stupid,_ Adrian advised and the Urgal did as he was bid, running after the dwarven boy.

In a way, Adrian was glad to be alone. Since, Octavian and Mirin had taken the prisoners back to Glieonard only Maud remained. Somewhere. She had not been seen during the fight and Adrian wondered where the Werecat was hiding. In all his training he had never once managed to best her in sword-fighting. He hoped she wasn't dead.

Adrian started slowly. He could have dug the graves by using magic, but there was not much left in his reserves and besides, keeping his body busy was a way not to think of what had happened. Soon, Mars landed next to him and helped him dig deeper graves.

Whatever elves and dwarves of the shore remained, came to help. Blodghram was one of them. The elf had been his first friend on the island when he had arrived and he soon decided that it was easier to have someone with him.

Until the break of dawn none of them had exchanged a word.

All of the Shades had been buried in one place. Friend and dragons were to be buried alone, though for the latter they would require the help of other dragons as carrying them would be a task impossible for the ten of them, exhausted as they were after the battle.

Adrian had made a grave for each of the riders. He had found the carcass of Gas, half of him gnawed on by a wyrm or dragon he did not know; then Maurine with her pale cheeks and blood stained lips, her eyes large and blue staring in the distance; Idel, the elven Master of Magic and many more elves and dwarves of the Shore who Adrian had never met before, only seen briefly.

When at last, he reached Tristan's body, he paused. Everyone else around him, human, Urgal or dwarf had been allowed to grieve, but elves did things differently. No doubt, the riders would hold a ceremony for all of the dead riders but Adrian kneeled on the ground and brushed his fingers against Tristan's lips.

_Atra mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr. Un du evarínya ono varda, Vor, Shur'tugal Tristan_, Adrian whispered.

When the sun's rays broke into the horizon he was alone, as the elves and dwarves of the Shores has retreated to their homes.

His clutched his fists and he felt the first tear drop from his eyes. His throat felt sore.

The last time he had cried had been in Ellesmera, holding the arms of a white-haired elf, named Bivorn. Bivorn had been his closest friend, his lover, his comrade, his family. When Mars had hatched for him he remembered the joy in Bivorn's eyes, mirroring his own. They had both been so happy that day, watching the baby dragon take his first steps and then his first flight into this world.

They had both known it would not last long, though.

Adrian would never exchange Mars for anyone or anything in this world, but deep inside him, he often wondered whether a small part of him blamed the dragon for being separated from Bivorn.

Maybe if Mars had not hatched for him he would have still been in Ellesmera, sword-fighting against Bivorn and then in the night sleeping next to him. He guessed Mars must have known this, though the dragon had never acknowledged it and neither had he.

It had been a very long time until he had felt the stirrings of another interest. Adrian brushed his thumbs over Tristan's hair and then gently laid him inside the earth, after cleaning his wound with the spring water which ran from the mountains. He placed Tristan's bow, or rather what remained of it, next to him. The bow which was gifted to Tristan from Eragon, Queen Isazlandi's bow, Adrian put in a casket next to Tristan. The Masters would know what to do with it, later.

_Eldhrimmer O Furhernard , sun abr deloi. Eldhrimmer nen ono weohnataí medh solus un thringa. Eldhrimmer un fortha onr fëon var. Wiol allr sjon. Sé mor'ranr ono finna_, Adrian sung.

When he returned to Glieonard, morning had arrived. The sun shined shyly through the clouds and shed light on the horror that lay below. Most of the buildings had been damaged. The human and the elven dorms were destroyed and many of the houses near the Shore had been taken in the hurricane.

He found Kayla inside the Grand Hall of Glieonard with Aiedail at her heels. She was staring in the clear blue water of the lake, which stood as entrance to the vault of the eggs below.

Adrian did not need to make his presence known. No doubt Kayla had sensed him even before he entered the Grand Hall. Her eyes were red, her finger nails bitten. Her right arm circled the water.

"Draumr kópa" the girl said and the water changed momentarily to show her a fleeting image of a woman and then water, the ocean, the rivers and the lakes.

She let her hand fall loose and cursed under her breath.

"Draumr kópa. Sjon eka Tristan" she said and again, the water changed, a fleeting image of a boy appeared in a dark room and then disappeared.

Kayla splashed the water annoyed and rose, looking straight to Adrian. "This is useless. I have used every ounce of strength I have had trying to find him, trying to find my mother but I can't see them!"

"Your brother is dead, Kayla. As for your mother, I know not where she is" Adrian replied gently.

She breathed deeply and looked at the water again.

"I asked to see Laer as well but do you know what I see? Scales and horns and monstrous things and… Blood"

"The second sentence of your spell was wrong. You said _See me Tristan_. You need to say _Show me Tristan_. Maybe that's why the spell for Laer didn't work" he offered.

Kayla shook her head angrily. "I have used different phrases of the Ancient Language. Different combinations. I even tried to see him without using any words from the Ancient Language but the results are always the same..."

"Have you tried seeing Onyx, Laer's dragon?"

The girl rose from the water, her hair wet and plastered to her forehead. "It doesn't work the same with dragons. If Onyx was my dragon then … Maybe. I can't see Onyx. He departed as soon as Laer disappeared. So did Vertigo. And Tristan…"

Kayla stopped there and took a deep breath.

"There is one more person you haven't yet looked for" Adrian offered.

She rose her eyebrows. "He is dead. The herbalist said so herself"

"I got a vision from Arya Dröttning during the battle. Maybe I am wrong but I believe Eragon is still alive"

She laughed. "Even if he is still alive, what can he do, that we can't? The enemy crushed him in the battle above the Unknown Waters. You did not see what I saw"

"Arya is still my Queen. And Eragon, the Dragon Rider Leader. I will not abandon them" Adrian said.

Kayla said nothing to that.

"I depart tomorrow, at dawn. You and Aiedail can join me, if you want. Two are stronger than one and a mission is a good distraction"

He had reached the Gates of the Grand Hall before Kayla called out to him.

"Wait" she said. "Have you spoken to Octavian and Mirin? Has anyone managed to locate Maud?"

"I thought you believed the Dragon Rider Masters had nothing more to offer us?" he asked her gently and when she did not answer he continued. "I have. They plan to interrogate the Shades and I would rather not be present when they do this"

Kayla slid from the pond's edge and walked to him in lean strides. "Why? Are you afraid of the blood? Or is it that you are averse to their pain?"

Adrian pressed his lips in a tight line. "Interrogation requires torture. Torture requires pain and slow movements, accurate measurements… And I am afraid that if I stay in the same cell with either one of them I will kill them"

Kayla nodded at that.

"Rest well, today. You will require your strength for tomorrow"

…

When she woke there was no moon in the sky, something that suited them well.

She met Adrian at Eragon's tower. Most of the other riders were asleep and did not see or hear them. If they did, they were wise enough to say nothing.

All apart from Rikon who met them near the Grand Hall with a sword clanging against his back, his expression stern.

"Take me with you" he told them. "I need to return to Alagaesia"

"We are not going to Alagaesia" Kayla said.

"You are going somewhere near the Beor Mountains and that is all I need. I will find my own way from there"

"Dis Atilan is the Dragon Rider island" Adrian told him.

Rikon glared at him. "And I am no Dragon Rider. The only thing that is left of me is the title of the Bastard son of King Orik. If not for that, I would take my own life as there is nothing else left for me. But someone needs to lead the Dwarven Clans and I do not trust the likes of Az Sweldn rak Anhûin. I know I am young. I know I often behave foolishly but I promise not to disturb you from your journey, wherever that may be"

"You will ride with me" Adrian said and Mars lowered himself to the ground.

For all his big words, at first, Rikon appeared reluctant to ride Mars. The dragon waited patiently for him and when at last, he did, Adrian sat behind him.

_Kayla, show me the images you got from Eragon and Arya. I will try to locate them_, Adrian offered and she did as she was told.

When Aiedail rose into the air, the girl could feel the cold, morning air slap onto her face. She shivered. The purple dragon flapped her wings steadily following Mars's pace and soon, despite the fact that she had slept the previous night, her eyelids began to shut.

_We should have rested more. Going on a rescue mission is not a good idea when neither of us can fight,_ Aiedail said.

_True, though if I had stayed put in one place, bound on a bed and you on earth knowing that Tristan's death was my fault I would have_ …

_You are not to blame for his death. Neither am I. Or anyone else for that matter. Tristan died in the Battle and bravely. We won because of him_, Adrian said into her mind and Kayla pressed her lips tightly together.

She had forgotten that both Adrian and Rikon were present in the mind conversation with Aiedail. Rikon's mind, however, was far away from their talks and whereas before his presence had been a bright spot in their minds, now a smaller, darker spot remained.

Losing a dragon… Kayla could not imagine what Rikon must have been going through. It had led Galbatorix to madness and no doubt Bron as well, despite the fact that Bron had aided in retrieving some of the eggs stolen by the tyrant.

If Aiedail had been lost to her and Kayla had found that her mother was dead as well she would have surely taken her own life. For that there was no doubt.

_It would a coward thing to do_, the purple dragon said and Kayla recoiled, as if she had been slapped.

_If I was dead, would you not have done the same?_

_If you died in battle then I would do everything in my power to avenge you, yes with death at the end. If you died under other circumstances I would again do anything in my power to try to stop what had happened to you from happening again, yes with death at the end. But knowing that there are still enemies to be fought, still people who may die because of them, this would only make me go against them. Do you not wonder why Vertigo did not take his own life? Fall of a cliff or rise to the highest altitude so he can fall towards the sea and crush? Dragons can take their own life, I assure you. _

_It is for revenge_, Kayla said in the end.

_And for love,_ Aiedail added. T_ristan had many friends on this island and you, who loved him as much as Vertigo did. He must know this. And he knows that when the enemy comes again, he will return to defend the riders._

Kayla gasped, suddenly, realisation hitting her.

_Vertigo is in Ramirblaka, isn't he? _

_Yes. At least that's the most logical explanation_, Adrian said.

_He has royal blood running through his veins. Royal blood gives him power_, Mars added.

_He plans to become the wild dragon leader_, her dragon said, letting out a loud breath of air in the process.

_Indeed. Though if he succeeds you would do best not to go against him or spurn him in any way_, Mars advised.

_And why is that?,_ Kayla wondered, but her dragon had grown silent.

_Aiedail is Vertigo's sister by blood and fire and if she goes against him, Vertigo or the wild dragons will think of it a challenge to their leader with domination as a goal. _

_Even if Aiedail disagrees with something, you mean_?, Kayla asked, not sure if she understood what the dragon was saying.

Mars glared at them.

_If we meet the wild dragons again it would be best if Aiedail stayed silent. _

_This is ridiculous!, _Kayla exclaimed.

_Yet, it is the way dragons do things, _Aiedail sighed, then paused._ What Mars says is true. I stayed inside my egg for far too long and have forgotten certain things. The wild dragons, however, remember. This is why, when last we visited Ramirblaka, the Wild Dragon Leader tried to mate with me and offered me a place with them. By mating with me he would have secured his dominance over Vertigo or any other dragon who tried to take the leadership. _

Rikon roared into a sudden, humourless laugh.

_And there, I thought, that dwarven politics were complicated!_

Kayla and Adrian both smiled in return and after this, they continued their journey in silence. Adrian had used the images that Kayla had shown him to locate Eragon and Arya, though at the moment only sea lay ahead of them.

As the day grew darker and colder, Mars edged to the right, chasing what remained of the sun. Aiedail had started flapping her wings in a slower manner, edging closer to the sea and Kayla could see Mars struggling to stay upright with the added weight of Rikon.

_We shall need to find land, soon_, Kayla told the riders.

They nodded and looked in the distance and around them, using their dragon's eyes. As Kayla looked, she located a Nïdhwal and let out a small shout in terror. The Nïdhwal's eyes had somehow found hers and it was looking at her in an intelligent way, as if it was trying to tell her something or gain access into her mind.

The latter, Kayla concluded as she felt the creature's dark consciousness probing into her own, until at last, she threw it off of her.

_We continue ahead, not back_, she advised as she felt more Nïdhwals coming towards them, curious and hungry.

And so they did, until Adrian spotted land.

_We are near the Dawning Gulf_, he said, looking at the map he had taken from Glieonard's Library.

Kayla nodded, sliding from Aiedail's back and landing on the soft sand.

Rikon had already started setting up tents and had built a fire, feeding it with dried leaves and broken tree branches.

As Kayla extended her consciousness she realised there was little life around them. A few trees and maybe birds but not much else. At least, there were big puddles of water from a recent rain and Aiedail and Mars kneeled on the ground to drink big gulps of it.

Kayla passed the oats, dried nuts and fruits to Rikon who threw them inside a boiling pot of water. The fire crackled underneath them and soon the smell of porridge reached her nostrils making her mouth water.

Aiedail growled, annoyed.

_There is no game in this part of the land. I was looking forward to consuming deer or mountain lions. _

_There are still sharks in these waters, though and I did see baby whales and lion-fish,_ Mars offered.

Aiedail shrugged and took to the air once again, happy to have been relieved from the weight of carrying food, water and her rider.

_Don't go too far away. Remember, the Nïdhwal still loom in these waters,_ Kayla advised and Aiedail let out a small growl.

_I have not forgotten our cousins. _

They came back with two lion-fish and one shark. The dragons offered to share some with their riders, but all declined. Kayla had been in the minds of animals far too often to be able to swallow their flesh, Adrian had never eaten the flesh of another animal and Rikon retched at the sight of the bloody shark.

"The dwarves will not trust me if I cannot share their meat and mead" he said, in a thoughtful manner. "They shall think of me more as a rider and less as a dwarf"

"Yet, you are still the son of King Orik" Kayla said, in a gentle voice.

"Bastard Son of an Adopted Son. Much power this title gives me" he said in a humourless manner.

When the sun came out the next day, the riders had already set off. Much to Adrian's displeasure they were still a good day's ride away from the Beor Mountains and even though they were near the Shores, none of them resembled the vision Kayla had shared with Adrian.

Still, they continued forward and Kayla used the pot they had prepared their porridge the previous night, as a mirror for her uses. She put some sea water inside and whispered the words.

The image of Arya and Eragon hiding under some palm trees reached her. The elf rose her head, sensing the magic and Kayla spoke to her.

"We are searching for you. Are any of the dragons with you?"

Arya's brows pulled together. "Firnen is here, though he is not able to fly for long. Saphira is here as well though she shall not be able to fly"

"Could you ask Firnen to fly toward us? Or fly around the place you are at?"

"Yes"

The image blurred and Kayla threw the sea water back inside the sea.

As Aiedail flew in a steady rhythm the girl closed her eyes and extended her consciousness. She extended her consciousness on the next island that lay near them and then the next and the next and the next.

With every mile her magic crossed, she felt a little bit of her energy reserve diminishing. Yet, when at last she came upon the bright consciousness of a dragon, she paused and opened her eyes.

"I know, where they are. Follow me" she commanded and Mars followed Aiedail.

They reached them just as the sun cast dramatic shadows in the horizon. The dragons landed easily on the sand and tried to locate the riders. Firnen pointed at a sand hill on their left.

As Kayla came closer she saw an opening in the hill and entered. Inside, it was a lot cooler and Arya lay on a bed of leaves next to Eragon who had his eyes closed.

"Drottingu" Adrian said, kneeling in front of his Queen.

Arya waved this away. "Do you have water? Food?"

Kayla nodded and just like the previous day, Rikon started cooking a porridge. Adrian passed the waterskin to Arya. The Queen of the Elves drunk a single sip of water and then gave the rest to Eragon who gulped and retched it all up.

"Brasung" swore Rikon who had been a moment too late at seeing Eragon's situation.

Kayla kneeled on the ground and placed her arm on Eragon's shoulder, closing her eyes.

"His consciousness is far away. I can do my best to heal his legs but they shall not grow back. Where is Saphira?" she asked.

Arya pointed outside, but Aiedail was already standing near the grand dragon. Saphira was covered in sand and part of her had been used to make the sand hill.

_She is alive but … Broken._

The dragon's wings lay in an unnatural position, there was a deep gush running through her lower body and her front leg had been cut in half.

_I didn't have enough… Enough energy to heal her,_ Arya said.

Kayla doubted anyone did.

Healing Eragon was easier.

_We shall set off tomorrow. Eragon can ride with me and Arya can ride Aiedail. Kayla…?,_ Adrian started.

_Yes. I will be all right_, she replied.

Aiedail was not at all happy to part with her rider, but Kayla assured her she would be right behind.

It was a lie.

Kayla ate well that night. She had four bowls of porridge, filled with nuts, dried fruit and melted honey and then when she felt she could have no more she gave herself an hour before she ate another two bowls. She drank water as well and asked the riders to leave most of the food and water with her.

Aiedail and Mars caught four lion fish and one baby whale though the latter was hard to carry in the air so they had to drug it back to land.

They gave the whale to Saphira and shared the lion fish amongst themselves. When the next morning came, Kayla bid the riders goodbye and ate another five bowls of porridge mixed with rice and honey.

As the sun rose Kayla used her magic to create a tower of sand so they could be protected from the heat.

_How strong do you feel?,_ she asked the sapphire dragon.

Saphira blinked at her.

_Strong enough. _

Kayla gave Saphira another carcass of fish the dragons had caught and ate it in silence.

_I will need to draw upon your energy as well. And break your wing bones again since they have healed in the wrong angle. _

The dragon did not even blink at her.

Kayla sighed and as night time came, she began the task of healing her. She began with the simple injuries, the gash in Saphira's stomach and the stump of her missing leg. For these injuries she used Saphira's energy.

Then, she looked at the wings and brushed her finger over the bones, trying to trace the shape.

_Don't torture me human! If you need to break my bones, then be done with it!_

Kayla took in a deep breath and concentrated. With a single spell she broke the ligaments that held the bones together and the dragon growled loudly, shaking her upper body in pain.

"_Sitja stull, Saphira Skulblaka_" Kayla said and she did.

_This will not keep me still for long, human. _

_The less you fight the more energy I will have left to heal you. _

She growled and Kayla broke another bone. When the wing bones were shattered, Kayla began the long process of stitching them back together. She followed the natural pattern of shape she had felt in Aiedail, the pattern she remembered from Saphira when she flew in the air and a pattern similar to Vertigo's as both dragons had been keen flyers.

The right wing was more badly damaged and she used more energy for that. The left was in a better condition so she healed it some and then when no more energy was left inside her, she crumbled to the ground, resolving to finish her work on the morrow.

Throughout the whole process Saphira had stayed still, without Kayla needing to use another spell.

_Thank you, human-girl. I shall not forget this._

Kayla waved this away and dipped a piece of stale bread in her porridge and smothered it with honey.

_You can thank me tomorrow when I heal your other wing as well and you can fly. _

And so she did.

When Kayla was finished with the left wing, Saphira was more than happy to fly, but the girl paused, studying the shape of the bones, feeling her way over the wing. Saphira growled since Kayla had only fixed the bones and not the flesh above, so the dragon's wounds were still sore to the touch.

_Tomorrow_, Kayla advised. _I suggest you attempt to fly tomorrow but only a little so that the wings don't fester and the muscles grow strong again. Do not take it too quickly._

That day, Kayla willed a whale to land on the shore, something she was not too proud off, but something Saphira appreciated.

The great dragon ate the whole whale while Kayla picked at her porridge. She felt weak and she ran her finger over the water remaining in the pot in a slow manner. The movement calmed her and helped her think of things other than her dead brother.

_Do you not wonder, why you are so capable in magic?,_ Saphira suddenly asked her.

Kayla stood closer to the fire.

_All the time,_ she replied in an honest way.

Then she sighed. _Angela told me I had the blood of Gods running through my veins. She told me this, just before the Battle in Dis Atilan. I did not believe her, mainly because I didn't believe Gods existed. But then the hooded figure revealed to us that he was a descendant of the Gods and so was the herbalist. I often wonder whether I am the same but I look like my parents and none of the two had any magic. If my father did, he would not have died when I was young and my mother would have used the ways of magic to earn more money_.

_Do you not think that either one of them was hiding their true power as Angela often did?_

Kayla bit her lower lip. _Possibly, though Tristan was my brother and magic did not run in his blood in the same way it does in mine._

_When did you first learn that you had such a power?_

Kayla looked on the ground, remembering_. It must have been when Aiedail first hatched for me, though at the time I thought it was because I had become a dragon rider. When I was younger I had found a book in the library, concentrating on the ways of magic, though when I had tried it for myself nothing had worked and I had given up._

The next day Saphira was strong enough to fly a few inches, before she landed unsteadily again. Her missing leg was making landing a challenge. The dragon tried again, in the afternoon, and again the next day and the day after that.

Slowly but surely, she was becoming stronger, yet Kayla missed Aiedail and wanted to return to Dis Atilan as soon as possible.

Saphira sensed this and made more efforts to fly, despite Kayla's warning.

After a fortnight, Saphira was finally able to fly over the sand and hunt her own food which included sharks, lion-fish and the occasional giant squid. When she brought the squid on land, Kayla let out a small scream since the creature was almost as large as a six month old dragon.

_Squid is chewy but quite tasty after it has been roasted. Take some,_ Saphira offered but Kayla shook her head and prepared her bowl of oats, fruit, nuts and honey though she had to admit she was growing bored of having the same meal every night.

_How was flying today?,_ she asked the dragon after the end of her meal.

_Uneventful,_ Saphira replied as she tore the head of the squid splattering herself with black ink. _Oftentimes I feel like a baby dragon making its first steps at flying. I am not as good as I used to be but … I am growing stronger. Soon I believe I will be able to make the crossing to Dis Atilan. _

_Not Alagaesia?,_ Kayla wondered.

The dragon blinked at her.

_You said before that you met the herbalist, Angela. As it is, Angela made a certain prophecy. Descendants of the Grey Folk have great powers, it appears, and one of these is the ability to predict events or gaze into the future_.

Kayla played with Hûthvír's edge in her finger, remembering. _I did not know there was a prophecy for Eragon. _

_Oh yes, there was, though it, at last, has come to be. Prophecies are tricky that way. They warn you of impending events but don't tell you when they will happen making you worry and wonder about them but unable to change them. Sometimes, it is better not to know a prophecy,_ Saphira continued and gazed at Kayla intently.

The girl sighed. _I never believed in prophecies, if truth be told. I still don't, though there are a lot of things I didn't believe to be true and have come to be so. However, a man makes his own fate. Each decision will lead him into a certain path, like a river splitting into smaller streams only to later connect together at the end and join with the sea._

_Wise. Though for Eragon the prophecy came to be true_, Saphira said.

Kayla started running stones across one of Huthvrir's blades, sharpening it. _So… Will you share this prophecy with me then? _

The great dragoness blinked at her. _I can do better than that. I can show you._

The memory started playing at the edges of her consciousness and Kayla watched, silently. She saw Eragon in a shop in Teirm and across him stood Angela with her curly, bouncy hair, her air of authority and crazy nature. On her right hand side, a big black cat purred.

"This is the first time I have ever seen it come up in someone's future. Most of the time it's the aspen or the elm, both signs that a person will live a normal span of years. Whether this means that you will live forever or that you will only have an extraordinarily long life, I'm not sure. Whatever it foretells, you may be sure that many years lie ahead of you…"

"…Now the bones grow harder to read, as the rest are in a confused pile. Here the wandering path, lightning bolt, and sailing ship all lie together - a pattern I've never seen, only heard of. The wandering path shows that there are many choices in your future, some of which you face even now. I see great battles raging around you, some of them fought for your sake. I see the mighty powers of this land struggling to control your will and destiny. Countless possible futures await you - all of them filled with blood and conflict - but only one will bring you happiness and peace. Beware of losing your way, for you are one of the few who are truly free to choose their own fate. That freedom is a gift, but it is also a responsibility more binding than chains…"

"…And yet, as if to counteract that, here is the lightning bolt. It is a terrible omen. There is a doom upon you, but of what sort I know not. Part of it lies in a death - one that rapidly approaches and will cause you much grief. But the rest awaits in a great journey…"

"…Look closely at this bone. You can see how its end rests on that of the sailing ship. That is impossible to misunderstand. Your fate will be to leave this land forever. Where you will end up I know not but you will never again stand in Alagaësia. This is inescapable. It will come to pass even if you try to avoid it…"

"…The next bone is easier to read and perhaps a bit more pleasant. An epic romance is in your future, extraordinary, as the moon indicates - for that is the magical symbol - strong enough to outlast empires. I cannot say if this passion will end happily, but your love is of noble birth and heritage. She is powerful, wise, and beautiful beyond compare…"

"Now for the last two bones, the tree and the hawthorn root, which crosses each other strongly. I wish that this were not so - it can only mean more trouble - but betrayal is clear. And it will come from within your family! You shouldn't fret about what has yet to occur. The only way the future can harm us is by causing worry. I guarantee that you'll feel better once you're out in the sun."

The prophecy came to an end and Kayla smiled, a humourless smile.

_Eragon was afraid of the prophecy,_ she thought.

_In a way,_ Saphira agreed.

_His fate was to leave Alagaesia and never to return again. Or rather not stand in Alagaesia again. Fate is cruel. _

_Yes, I suppose it is. Eragon can return to Alagaesia if he so wishes though he will never be able to walk again. The lightning bolt caused our downfall and our injuries though that day the weather changed in unnatural ways. _

_As if it was controlled by an external force? Yes… Maybe Urûr still exists and was playing a cruel trick on you. If the Dwarvish legends are to be believed then Dragons are stronger than Urûr since they contain both the power of the heavens and fire in them. Dragons can manipulate weather as well if they so wish and alter their surroundings in interesting ways. _

_Indeed. Though we can hardly control this power. _

_You are not the only ones_, Kayla said thoughtful and gazed at her hands, sighing.

…..

It was another fortnight before Saphira was ready to go and even then, Kayla had taken good care of storing energy in some of the precious stones residing on Huthvrir. She had also alerted the riders of their coming return by gazing into the looking water. When Aiedail had come, storming into her view, Kayla had smiled but the dragon was not so pleased.

Arya had translated for her, though the expression Aiedail bore, said it all.

"I shall return soon" she had said but even so the dragon looked betrayed.

_Maybe she is afraid that I will abandon her now that I am no longer under the rule of Eragon_, she thought.

Maybe she is right. This thought had crossed Kayla's mind more than once. Now, that she was here with none of the riders, she could do whatever she liked. And she did have a very special mission in mind, one that required her being alone. If Aiedail was with her then her plan would fall into pieces.

It wasn't easy to hide a dragon.

This was the main reason why Aiedail couldn't be with her and why following Onyx's path would lead her to Laer. Kayla was certain that the black dragon had followed his rider, to the ends of the earth if needs be, because that's what bonded dragons and bonded riders did.

She sharpened Hûthvír's blade once more, loudly, debating.

If Kayla didn't tell Aiedail what was happening and where she had gone, the dragon would follow her. If she did, the dragon would follow her again, all the same. She picked up the cup of water, staring at it for a long time, only to throw the water out of the cup.

She was as close to Alagaesia as she could be. She was in a dry island near the mainland, near the tall mountains, were Rikon had climbed no less than a month ago to return to his people. If the wyrms, Shades, Laer and whatever other creature was with them, were hiding, they would be hiding somewhere in Alagaesia or somewhere in the East of Alagaesia. And if she meant to find Laer, kill the Shades and wyrms that remained, take revenge on her brother and save Alagaesia there was only path ahead of her.

True, travelling on a dragon would make things a lot faster but riding a dragon was the surest way to get her killed. That and bringing Aiedail with her would act as a way for the enemy to hold leverage over her. There are only two people that mattered to her most in this world, Aiedail and her mother. By being by herself, the riders' secrets remained safe.

_You are troubled_, the dragon, next to her, said.

Kayla hmphed.

_You miss your dragon, your soul-mate, your friend_.

_In the same way you miss Eragon, yet oftentimes you have needed to stay apart._

Saphira growled. _Not oftentimes. Once. And that was enough for us never to want to separate again. We are stronger when together_.

_Yes. Stronger but weak. The partner of your soul, and reader of your mind is also your weakness. And the enemy knows it. The great Red Rider and his rider Thorn were under the power of Galbatorix for this exact reason. When you go against your enemies you must play their game. And whether Laer was taken or went with them willingly, finding him will lead me to the enemy. _

_To revenge_, Saphira added.

Kayla nodded, staring at the fire intently_. And saving people like my brother, good people, people who do not deserve to die simply for someone to gain more power. Even the Shades who were turned…_

Her fists clutched. Then, she released them and filled the pot with water, running her finger along it.

_Taking a life leaves its marks. No matter how strong you are. Murder is just a part of life, like breathing. You had never done it, before the Battle had you? Taking someone's life? _

Kayla shook her head. _They were Shades, yet had been young humans no older than I before. It was not fair. _

_I am glad you feel awful,_ Saphira said, flexing her wings.

Her eyes were blurry from the un spilled tears as she turned to look at the dragon.

_You are great to talk to,_ she said, the irony thick in her tone.

_When their death stops to affects us_… _That's the moment when you know something has gone terribly wrong. _

Kayla had to laugh. _A dragon feeling guilty for killing?_

Saphira took a step back, obviously insulted. _You forget I share my thoughts and soul with a rider. I know how he feels when he takes a life. I know the damage it can cause. To me, all of you are nothing else than ants. I can step on you if I want. I won't feel much guilty afterwards but Eragon will and that is what stops me. _

_Is that how wild dragons think? _

_Most. Some are wiser. _

_My brother's dragon has joined the Wild Dragons. Tristan died and Vertigo… Left. _

Saphira's eyes looked pained for a second.

_I cannot imagine the torture he must be going through. But a dragon needs a sane mind to lead, if that is his intention, and it appears he has put himself in a most grievous position. _

_He has royal blood. _

_I know. Yet it will not be enough. Wild dragons respect royal blood but one cannot lead without exercising a certain level of… power. _

Kayla said nothing to that. She knew all too well what type of strength demonstration Vertigo had to show the wild dragons. Brutality.

Her finger continued running along the water. Out of habit she whispered _Dramr Kopa_ and her brother's name. The water rippled and changed until it turned into her brother's face, dirt surrounding him. But then the image changed, quickly, and she came upon dark cells.

"Tell us everything you know"

"I know nothing, please you must believe me! This is not who I am, this is not me…"

"Silence!"

A whip cracked and a cry of pain echoed in the cell. The prisoner's face was hidden in the darkness and she could not have said who it was. But, then, the prisoner started laughing, a terrible, ominous laugh.

"You think this is over? This is only the beginning. They will come for you, all of them and I will be their leader. Soon, soon…"

The water returned to its original shape.

Kayla cursed and walked in quick steps back to the sea. She couldn't even trust her powers anymore. Whatever these images were she could not make sense of them. If she used too much of her power, however, then she threatened to destroy this world. She had to find a middle ground.

_For Tristan_, she thought but tears started falling from her eyes again. She felt a warm paw on her back and she turned around to see Saphira, her large eyes sparkling under the starlight.

_No matter how we live or die we all end the same. In silence. All of our hopes and dreams in life become mere echoes of a tale cut short. But if we are lucky enough, our stories live on. Our song finds voices in the hearts of those who remember us and love us. _

Kayla nodded, wiping her tears. She went to the sea water and stared at her reflection, her long, blonde hair, her blue-purple eyes, which now looked dark, the curvature of her lips and nose. She took a dagger from the backpack and slowly, but, surely started slicing the skin of her face.

She pressed her lips together as the blood fell on the sea, but never once did she stop the blade from sinking deeper. Her nose was another matter entirely. She used a spell that cracked her nose in a single moment, the pain almost making her faint but she kept her eyes open, nevertheless. More words left her lips and whereas before her skin was teared, now it begun stitching itself back together, the bone in her nose changing shape, her cheekbones almost disappearing, huge cheeks appearing on her once slender face.

Kayla washed the dagger before she proceeded with her hair but that was the easy part. She cut her hair up to her chin, making her look almost manly, and then she whispered words that made the flesh around her body thicker, rounder, curvier. Lines appeared between her eyes and on the sides of her mouth, making her look a decade, if not more, older.

She stared back at her reflection but there was nothing of her old self left. She looked like a common human woman, no more. A dangerous human woman, yes, but common, nowhere near pretty. Kayla strapped Hûthvír on Saphira's back and placed daggers at the heels of her boots and at her back.

_I would be glad if _Hûthvír_ was returned to Dis Atilan. To Maud. She is a skilful fighter and _Hûthvír_ seems like a weapon she would like,_ she said to Saphira.

For once, the leather pants felt tight around her legs and she knew that she would need to find another pair to replace them as soon as she reached a city.

_It appears I have need of a ride… But only until the Beor Mountains. I believe I can find my own way from there on_, Kayla told Saphira.

The great dragon had not spoken once, while Kayla finished her task. She had looked worried in the beginning but something she had seen in Kayla, must have given her no reason to doubt her.

_I will report back to the Riders as often as I can… Aiedail will not be happy but explain to her why I have done this. Tell her not to follow me. Tell her to continue her training. Tell her to be safe…_

_No matter what I say, she will come after you_, Saphira said.

Kayla swallowed. _Then bind her. In a cage, with big chains…_

Saphira growled. _This is not right._

_Is there another choice?,_ Kayla asked.

Saphira said nothing.

When the sun signalled the start of a new day Kayla was already at the top of the Beor Mountains in an area called Galfni.

The great dragon stared at her in silence.

_I bid you give Eragon my regards. And tell him my … Wishes. _

Saphira kneeled on the ground and touched her paw to Kayla's forehead.

_You have given me back my wings and my health. You saved my rider. I thought there was no way I could ever repay you. But you have asked me to chain a dragon to the earth, an unforgivable act. This price I will pay, but no more. I wish you the best of luck in your journey. May the stars watch over you and peace live in your heart. _

Then the dragon turned her back to Kayla and she flew away, slowly at first but gaining speed in the process until she was only a speckle in the horizon.

…..

_Atra mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr. Un du evarínya ono varda, Vor, Shur'tugal Tristan. May _Peace live in your heart. And the stars watch over you. Friend, Dragon Rider Tristan.

_Eldhrimmer O Furhernard , sun abr deloi. Eldhrimmer nen ono weohnataí medh solus un thringa. Eldhrimmer un fortha onr fëon var. Wiol allr sjon_. Grow O Furhernard , son of the earth. Grow as you would with the sun and rain. Grow and put forth your flower of the spring. For all to see.

Sé mor'ranr ono finna. May you find peace.

**A/N: And this is the end! I am probably going to go back in the beginning and edit grammar, spelling and structure and start writing a second fanfic, so stay tuned for any new instalments. I know there are many questions that haven't been answered and many parts of Alagaesia that have been visited only once, so I intend to do a bit more of that in the second part. I hope you enjoyed this fanfic and if you have time, leave a review :). Many thanks to everyone for all the reviews so far, for BEST OC MAKER for being my betta and helping me edit certain chapters, for the drawings posted by HowtoBook101 and generally for everyone who has read this fanfic. **


	51. Sequel: Dragon's Den

**A/N: The sequel of Rise of the Dragons has arrived. This time I have written some chapters ahead of time so I can post one every week (usual day Sunday/Monday). I hope you enjoy!**


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